The Angel That I Loved
by Jack Blade
Summary: A story about love, friendship and matters of the heart in general; set 4 years after the 4th War's events. Kiba had heard that love was hard... loving someone who didn't return your feelings even harder. But THIS... this was something even 'Cupid himself' couldn't have an answer to! Rated M for lemons. Multiple pairings. - Complete -
1. Chapter 1

**The Angel that I Loved**

Chapter I: My Duty Towards her Heart

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its elements and affiliates, they are all the property of Masashi Kishimoto-sensei…**

**AN: These events take place 4 years after the 'Fourth Great Shinobi World War' and I apologize beforehand to those authors if any of the situations or events in this fic resemble the one's present in their works.**

**I had no intention to take credit for anyone else's work or creativity… not that I ever tried to! ;P**

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><p>It was a bright... sunny...<p>

and pretty much **boring** day as far as a certain 20-year-old dog-nin was concerned.

"Boy oh boy are they in for it now..." he growled in irritation.

It had been roughly '2 whole hours' since Kiba and Akamaru had arrived at their Team's training ground... finding the rest of their squad members nowhere in sight.

Also, it had been 4 loooong years since the Fourth Shinobi War had ended...

... and frankly, things had started looking up from that point forward... for all those involved.

Firstly, Madara Uchiha had been slain in cold blood by a vengeful Naruto after the former's declaration that he had merely 'used' Sasuke to meet the fulfillment of his own goals as leader of the Akatsuki.

Secondly, Sasuke (the so called 'Avenger of the Uchiha') had reluctantly returned to Konoha after Naruto had assured him that he would not be looked down upon by anyone for his past misdeeds as long as he 'proved' to all around him that he was seeking redemption.

Lastly, Sakura Haruno had **finally** decided to give up on her heartfelt pursuit of the aloof Uchiha.

It seemed as if 'Kami himself' had granted the girl with some practical sense after it had seemed to take a long time coming…

... amounting exactly to a few years to be precise.

Oddly enough, she didn't seem too depressed or 'shattered' upon discovering that she no longer held any sort of romantic feelings towards the man.

Especially considering the fact that he, Sasuke himself, had advised her not to waste her life on him since he had been the **sole** cause of her pain and anguish over the years.

How he had managed to pull 'that' one off, Kiba had absolutely no idea.

Nevertheless, life for the citizens (and shinobi) of the Five Great Nations had never been better and more prosperous since the last 4 years in general.

"Guess they can't help it Akamaru," the man told his K-9 companion who only barked back in response, his small eyes downcast.

Kiba leaned on a nearby tree with his hands tucked in his pant pockets and grinned softly, "Heh, ever since Kurenai sensei's had her kid things have changed… by quite a bit to be honest."

It was true... all of it.

Ever since 'Asuma jr.' had come along, Kurenai Yuhi had been understandably busy and unable to even check up on her teams progress levels.

She would have been delightfully surprised; Kiba smirked, to see just how **much** they had grown…

What's more, Kiba, who had been bestowed with the title of the most 'bloodthirsty shinobi' of the Hidden Leaf after the war had ended, had made many significant discoveries himself.

_I **still** can't believe that I was so blind to it all_, he mused, apparently thinking about the recent revelation that he, Kiba Inuzuka; future heir to his clan due to his position as the 'Alpha Male'...

... was madly in love with his beautiful, kind-hearted teammate!

Who was, currently, one of the most desirable bachelorette's in the whole village...

* * *

><p>... at least, according to recent 'surveys' conducted by all of the single males of Konoha.<p>

_How did those guys even pull **that** one off?_ the dog-nin wondered with a small frown.

"It's not so surprising now that it's out in the open, eh Akamaru?" Kiba asked his comrade, one who he could trust with some of his deepest fears and feelings.

The large dog only gave him a gruff nod in reply.

"It's true pal, I love Hinata…and you know what? I think I always have, right from our academy days perhaps."

Akamaru merely woofed in agreement which made Kiba smile back at the understanding K-9.

"Yeah, you found out too huh?"

"Arf Arf!" Akamaru was wagging his tail at this point, presumably excited with where this was going.

If the conversation at hand had anything to do with his two **most** favourite people, he would be sure listen... and listen well.

_(Sigh) It's about time he let some air into his head!_ the ninken sighed to himself in his doggy mind.

"Heh, you sure can pick up on my best secrets even when I don't tell 'em to you myself huh pal?" Kiba continued, himself unsure as to how he was going to stop at this point.

"But ya know something?"

The dog in question looked up expectantly.

"I just…" The dog-nin sighed with what he was about to convey, "… I-I just can't tell her." _Not even in a million years..._

Akamaru whined and rubbed his head against his master's waist.

"You... know how she feels abou-" Kiba flinched at the inevitable admittance on his part, "-about him."

He cut off the painful confession at that, simply being **unable** to bring himself to accept the cold truth...

... which was staring him dead in the face.

Akamaru, being the ever-attentive dog that he was, stared up at his friend and master while contemplating as to how he could possibly be of use in this predicament. _Poor Kiba… he sure looks down right now._

Kiba seemed to be in deep thought as he prepared himself for the decision that would undoubtedly change the very course of his life…

He let out the breath he did not even know he had been holding in and decided… "Akamaru…"

The devoted K-9 looked up at him at that; tail drooping and looking nearly lifeless.

"I'm going-" he cleared the lump that had formed in his throat, "I'm going to… to just let her go buddy."

* * *

><p>If Akamaru had hands, he would have 'no doubt' wiped the stray tear that had betrayed his best friend's self control. <em>Wow, he's <strong>never<strong> been like this. I guess he really **does** love her a whole lot..._

"Hinata deserves to be happy… and if she's happy with Naruto then… then I won't interfere."

It took all of his mental strength to get the last few words out of his voice box because his heart was screaming at him to stop, to stop and think again about his choice.

Akamaru let out a pitiful whimper as he tried his level best to comfort his young owner and close friend.

"It's alright Akamaru, I've made up my mind. If Hinata needs my help in getting what her heart desires then…then who am **I** to stand in her way?"

Another droplet of grief trickled down his cheek...

... right over his clan's marking as Akamaru drooped his head, sharing in his master's melancholy.

When...

"But don't you worry about a thing pal."

Kiba's suddenly cheerful voice surprised the K-9 as he jumped slightly at the young jounin's bright declaration.

"We'll **always** be her two best buddies won't we?"

The large dog bounced around his friend and barked happily, somewhat 'relieved' due to the fact that the latter had come out of his sorrowful mood, "Woof Woof!"

Kiba smiled widely at that... leave it to his 'childhood chump' to join him on some of his most craziest and insane endeavors.

_But this time…_ he sighed, looking up at the rising sun that had finally decided to show itself, _… this is a test of my loyalty as a friend to the one I love the most…_

Clearing his throat he said, "Alright Akamaru, if they don't show up in the next 10 minutes we're going home, Kay?"

It ultimately seemed that Kiba was muttering his words more to 'himself' than his dog friend. _The day just **isn't** the same if we don't even see each other…_

"Kiba-kun! Kiba-kun!"

A soft, feminine voice, capable of making even the birds and wind stop to listen and appreciate its divine quality, penetrated his heart and mind...

... quite effectively removing any other unnecessary thoughts from his mind.

"Hinata?" he whipped his head towards the direction of her strong scent.

The mere **sight** of the ethereal creature sent his heart soaring.

The way her hair danced with the gentle breeze as she ran towards him…

... the way her petite yet adorable hands (_softer than the snowflakes in winter_, Kiba inwardly smiled referring to the curled fists so tender, he would have given **anything** to just hold them and uncurl her fingers one by one taking all the time in the world to do so; whilst searching into the deepest depths of her kind eyes for the love and affection one searches for in the eyes of a beloved) were supporting her body's ascension in a 'back and forth' motion towards him.

_(Sigh) If only I could just let her drown in my arms and tell her how much I didn't want to let her go…_

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><p>Catching her expended breath as quickly as she could whilst halting a couple of feet in front of him, Hinata spoke up, "I-I'm sorry Kiba-kun… I was helping Kurenai sensei with the baby. I d-didn't make you wait long did I?"<p>

The beauty sported the most 'flawless' expression of worry to ever be seen by human eyes as she stated the above.

_You bet your sweet angelic smile you did!_

"Nope, not at all Hinata...!" Kiba instantly replied with a wide grin, as had become his habit over the years.

He simply couldn't bear to make the object of his affections worried about even the littlest of things.

"In fact... we just got here, right Akamaru?"

Giving his familiar 'the look' was all that he had to do.

The smart dog understood his master's intentions and readily obliged with his symbolic request. _That Kiba, he really comes up with the wackiest of lies._

Turning back towards her, he folded his arms across his chest and asked with a smirk, "Ya know, little Asuma is a 'toddler' now. The kid can walk **and** talk Hina..."

At his playful scolding the poor girl turned slightly pink, her head down as she clasped her hands in front of her.

"You shouldn't be spoiling the brat because you know how much he likes to be looked after by you."

Kiba noted then that she had formed a small smile upon the mention of the child. _Hehe, I wonder if Hinata likes little kids a lot..._

"By the way, where's Shino?" the Inuzuka suddenly asked, changing the topic abruptly.

"I thought he was coming with you?" he continued.

Despite preferring it to be just the two of them together for the rest of the day, Kiba considered it appropriate to at least 'inquire' about his friend's current location.

_Hmph, if I don't, that'll just give him **another** excuse to start sulking again once he finds out._

That snapped her back to reality and she spoke out her answer in a quiet voice, just like only she could.

"O-Oh Shino-kun? Well... he has got the stomach bug and can't come for training for the rest of the month Kiba-kun."

_In that heavenly voice I can just listen to till my last days…_ Kiba mused, apparently getting lost in his daydreams...

"Kiba-kun?"

Hinata looked on worriedly as her eyebrows furrowed together, "Kiba-kun are you alright?"

She was waving her pale hand in front of her teammate's dazed face by that point.

"Huh?! O-Oh uh... nothing! Nothing's wrong Hinata nothing at all, Hehe!" Kiba replied whilst rubbing the back of neck nervously.

_Crap! I can't believe I actually spaced out because of her. (Sigh) Well, she **has** been at the forefront of my thoughts a lot lately anyway…_ he inwardly smiled.

The girl smiled back at him shyly, still not entirely convinced but deciding not to probe any further.

_Besides, if there were anything wrong, Kiba-kun would be sure to tell me. _A smile formed in her mind at the comforting thought.

* * *

><p>"Sooo... Hinata, wanna train or what?" the dog-nin asked her with a glint of mischief flashing in his dark eyes.<p>

"Sure Kiba-kun... whenever you're ready," Hinata replied, smiling back and preparing her battle stance in a flourish; beckoning her fellow jounin to make his first move towards her.

Cracking his knuckles, Kiba grinned broadly before lunging in her direction, _Oh boy, I just love this thing about her… always ready to work hard and sweat it out!_

"Here I come Hinata... get ready!"

"Hai! I won't hold back Kiba-kun!"

For the two powerful Konoha shinobi, it was all just a blur of intense speed and flurry of attacks and blocks after that...

* * *

><p><strong>Two hours later…<strong>

At the 'Third Training Ground', two silhouettes were visible. One seated on the ground, their legs sprawled out and the other hunched over and gasping for breath.

"Wow!" the latter grinned.

"Hi-Hinata... you…" the Inuzuka panted once more, "… you've gotten pretty strong huh?" Kiba let his 'all too familiar' smirk adorn his face as he spoke.

It seemed out of place rather, considering that his pants, sleeves **and** jounin vest were torn and shredded from any and all angles making him look as if he had just weathered a fierce storm…

... in his sleep!

"U-Um hai… thank you Kiba-kun," Hinata smiled back, apparently surprised and pleased at her vast improvement herself.

_Sugoi, I... never thought that I would be able to fight with **him** at such a high level._

The brunette could only grin in response.

_Of course she has; who am I kidding. Training all your life just to make your old man acknowledge you is no joke. I still can't believe she actually gives **me** a hard time in taijutsu now!_

Kiba stretched his back slightly and sighed at the feel of the cool air tickling the mild bruises on his chest and stomach. _I'd better pull my socks up soon or she's gonna be the death of me someday._

His silent contemplation was interrupted by Akamaru's loud bark telling them it was time to head on home.

_Where'd **he** come from?_ the dog-nin wondered, having apparently forgotten about his pal for the majority of their sparring session.

"Hey Hinata would you mind if I walked you home? It's getting kinda dark anyway…" Kiba inquired, initially expecting her to feel too shy and modest to agree... as was her nature.

"Well, u-um I wouldn't mind it if you did Kiba-kun."

Hinata gave him one of her best smiles, which right then made his stomach do a full-on somersault.

_If that was even possible…_ he grinned, but responded graciously and helped her up from her seated position while taking extra care to not squeeze her hand too hard.

_Great, now I've started to become protective of her! Get a grip Kiba, she's a fully qualified **jounin** for Kami's sake!_ he inwardly berated himself.

Once on her feet, Hinata quietly thanked her friend for his gesture, which only made him rub the back of head sheepishly in reply; a huge grin on his face.

_Silly Kiba-kun!_ the lilac-eyed kunoichi giggled secretly to herself, suddenly feeling extremely playful and carefree, as she often felt in her teammate's enjoyable presence and company.

"So... shall we?" Kiba asked her, already leading the way back to the village... his hand clasped around her smaller one in a tender hold as he spoke.

"Yes let's," she replied with a beaming smile on her round face.

_Which could have put the damn sun to shame…_ Kiba thought fondly.

* * *

><p>On that note, both the Konoha shinobi headed home, laughs and subsequent giggles being heard clearly if one dared to listen in on their friendly banter.<p>

_Where would I be without her..._ the Inuzuka thought offhandedly, his angel's quiet laughter from beside him making his chest grow warm from within.

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><p><strong>AN: Like it? or perhaps you don't?<strong>

**Whatever you're gracious thoughts may be dear readers... I earnestly request you to READ and REVIEW!**

**Take care folks and expect the next chappie in about 2 weeks time.**

**(Sigh!) Exams can be a serious pain in the 'wrong' place. ;D**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter II: A Trip to Shino's

(Part 1)

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its elements**

**AN: Whoa! Over 60 hits already!**

**Now if only my readers would be kind enough to review some more… XP**

**Anyways, here's the next chapter… it was a bit long so I figured that I'd split it into two.**

**I sincerely apologize to my 'ever-so-patient' readers for the late update but exams CAN be a handful "BELIEVE IT!" (Lolz)**

**ENJOY!**

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><p>Beep! Beep! Beep! Bee-!<p>

**SMASH!**

The sickening sound of what was 'once' an alarm clock being destroyed reverberated all around the 'not-so-humble' abode of the Inuzuka's… thankfully lasting only for a fleeting second before being replaced by the gruff voice of a young, drowsy male.

"Damn clock…" a cranky Kiba muttered in a slurred voice while trying (and failing) to wipe the sleep from his eyes. _Gotta set it properly next time…_

Getting up and out of his bed, he let loose an ungraceful yawn before beginning his morning stretches.

Apparently, sleep had eluded the young jounin for most of the night; mind juggling certain concerns, which, once upon a time, would have been of absolutely 'no value' to a person such as him.

_(Sigh) Hinata's starting to trouble me even while I'm asleep! Better get my head straightened out or I'm gonna turn into an insomniac like Gaara. _He 'shuddered' inwardly at the very thought.

Once able to get his bearings straightened out, Kiba began his morning rituals…

_Dammit! Out of toothpaste again!_ he grumbled in obvious annoyance but managed to find a new tube soon enough, thanking the one above for showing him some 'uncharacteristic' mercy early in the day.

"Hmm… Maybe I'll pay Shino a visit 'n' see how he's doing. Would be better than doing nothing I suppose..." he mumbled to no one in particular.

_Hey!_ a sudden brainwave struck his now 'awake' senses.

_Maybe... I can get Hinata to tag along._

Just thinking about his dream girl so early in the day made going through it 'worthwhile' for him it seemed.

Finally feeling refreshed, he let out a shrill whistle, a signal that was used by him to call upon his K-9 comrade.

When he didn't receive a face full of saliva or traditional body slam from his dog-pal, he raised his eyebrow in interest. _That's strange… Akamaru usually never sleeps in, especially on Sundays._

Kiba's thoughts were interrupted when he heard his older sister's voice calling him from the kitchen.

"Kiba! You up yet?"

Wondering as to why his sibling had all of a sudden decided to take an interest in crockery, he headed over to the source of her call. _What's Hana doing in the kitchen so early? Don't tell me… now she decided to **cook** for us too?_

Kiba could only groan at the idea.

Peeking from just outside the doorway, he observed what his sister was doing… but decided it rude and not worth the effort when he could just walk right over and ask her himself.

"Morning sis, what are you doing in the kitchen so early?" he inquired with genuine curiosity yet only received a blank stare from his older sibling in response.

* * *

><p>The brunette woman looked over her shoulder at her younger brother with a raised eyebrow, indicating that she was slightly amused at his question. <em>Hmm… hmm! How clueless can he possibly get?<em>

"You do realize that its noon right now," Hana, the only Inuzuka, to date, to have become a 'successful' veterinarian in the history of their clan, informed him dryly.

"Oh is tha-wait…"

His slit-like orbs widened in shock.

"WHAT?!"

"You heard me," his sister smirked. She then promptly returned to her work with a small grin playing on her lips.

"Now hurry it up or you'll miss out on the rest of your day lil' Kiba~kun," she added teasingly, which in turn proved to annoy and agitate her 'baby' brother to no end.

"Yeah yeah… whatever... I'll be seeing ya later then," Kiba drawled in response, obviously not seeking to drive any sort of humour from the moment.

Looking back towards her before he turned around the corner; towards their front door, he asked, "By the way, have you seen Akamaru? I tried calling him and he's still not here."

He gestured to the empty space around him for further emphasis.

Hana merely slapped her forehead at that.

"Oops! I must have forgotten to tell you...!" she groaned.

_Must have? She just did!_ the young man grumbled slightly but chose to hear her out first.

"Akamaru is having his monthly check-up today."

Kiba surprisingly seemed 'unnerved' at the new information that he had received. "And…?"

His sister just crossed her arms across her chest and spoke in a composed fashion, "Well… let's just say that you two aren't going to be training together for the next 2-3 days at the very least,"

The young woman had purposely made sure to inform him of the ninken's condition dryly; onyx eyes remaining in contact with his furious and confused ones the entire while.

Kiba, meanwhile, stood shell-shocked and wondered as to how he should react to this bit of news…

Finally deciding not to give his brain 'too much' trouble he yelled out his displeasure towards his older sibling…

"ARE YOU FRICKIN' **KIDDING** ME WOMAN?!"

The latter term used earned him a 'bonk' on the head, which he surprisingly ignored whilst continuing his mini-rant.

"You **know** that training without Akamaru is like trying to spar blindfolded! I won't be able to practice some of my best jutsus without him!" he finished with a growl while gingerly rubbing at the sore spot on his cranium.

* * *

><p>Hana sighed and rubbed her temples 'hoping against hope' that she didn't get a migraine because of her brother's antics.<p>

"Look Kiba, I know it's going be hard for you but just try to calm yourself down about this. You'll only have to manage yourself without him for a couple of days at the **most** if you're lucky."

She added the last part just to prevent any further outbursts from his end. _Phew! Can **he** be a handful in the morning…_

"Grrr… Alright then fine." _She'd better be right about it only being a couple of days…_

And with that the young man bid his sister goodbye and headed out the front door; hands buried in his pockets and brows furrowed into a slight frown.

Hana let out a sigh of relief once he had taken his leave but soon realized that she **hadn't** even served him his first meal of the day yet. _Shit!_

"Wait Kiba...! What about breakfast?!" she called after him but he had already booked a path to Hinata's house by then. _Oh well, he can take care of himself I suppose..._

Already at quite a distance from his house and unable to catch his sister's call, Kiba thoughts continued to reflect his gloomy mood.

_Great… I can't train without my pal and on top of that I didn't even grab a bite to eat before getting out of the house._

He kicked away a stray pebble from his path with a small frown. _You **really** manage to outdo yourself sometimes Kiba…_ he inwardly berated himself.

* * *

><p><strong>Hyuuga Residence<strong>

He currently stood in front of the Hyuuga estates in all of their finest glory.

Staring up at the tall gates, which gave off a foreboding aura to all who looked at them for the first time, the Inuzuka gave a small shrug and ventured in.

_Was it exactly like this the last time I was here?_ he wondered.

Letting another indifferent shrug escape him, he marched on... "Well... here goes nothing."

Upon entering the main gate of the elaborate structure, the first thing that he noticed was that only a certain dark-haired male was present in the central grounds, obviously deeply focused in training.

_I knew he would be up and at it from the crack of dawn…_ Kiba smirked at the display in front of his amused brown eyes, having easily recognized his fellow jounin by his 'scent' alone.

There stood one of the biggest prodigies… _and uptight bastard's…_ he grinned in amusement… of the Hidden Leaf, practicing his new version of the 'Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms' to perfection whilst ignoring the gleaming beads of sweat as they rolled down his 'uncovered' forehead, his mark of the cursed seal having been removed by Hiashi long back once the war had ended...

... courtesy of the Hokage's rock solid decision (which had been influenced by a **certain** blonde troublemaker).

The man's form was also perfect and 'pristine'. _As usual… the guy hardly even sleeps all night cuz he's too busy practicing those moves of his…_ Kiba sighed.

Sensing a familiar presence just a few feet behind him, the stoic Hyuuga momentarily halted his training to greet his unexpected visitor.

"Well well, to what do I owe this pleasure Inuzuka?" Neji inquired in his usual deep and composed voice, sounding terribly bored.

Frowning ever so slightly at the display of his usual attitude, the dog-nin replied, "Hmm… I suppose ya wouldn't know where Hinata is would ya?"

Kiba noticed his fellow jounin's uneasiness at the mention of his cousin and, deciding to take full advantage of the situation, grinned... deriving a somewhat 'sadistic' pleasure from witnessing the (normally) unmovable Neji Hyuuga squirm before his very eyes.

Clearing his throat, the Byakugan user responded in an even tone, "It seems that she has headed off towards the Aburame's residence. You may have just missed her by around 20 minutes at best."

Kiba stared at the man in front of him in mute shock, eyes blinking rapidly as his brain tried to process the scenario as quickly as possible.

_Damn! Could today **get** any worse?_ he groaned in despair.

Ignoring the Hyuuga's infuriating smirk at his predicament, he muttered a gruff 'thanks' his way and raced off in the direction of his teammate...

... hoping to catch up with her whereabouts soon.

_The only 'decent' place that falls before Shino's house is… Aha!_

* * *

><p><strong>Main Bazaar, Konohagakure<strong>

A certain indigo-haired heiress was finding herself in a dilemma of sorts, seeing as she had been unable to come up with a viable solution in the last 15 minutes that she had been here…

_Oh dear. I hope that I can find something suitable for Shino-kun soon. It wouldn't be good if I turned up late, I **did** promise that I would pay him a visit after all._

Letting out a deep sigh, Hinata decided to just choose something, **anything**, which may hold good enough value in front of the bug-user's eyes.

Suddenly, she spotted what she was looking for and, letting out cry of joy, grabbed the object from off its perch on top of a nearby shelf. _Yes! It's perfect for Shino-kun. I'm sure this will cheer him up in no time!_

Unbeknownst to her though, a certain looming shadow was, ever so slowly, closing in on her petite frame…

Sensing a presence behind her, Hinata swung herself around and unfortunately...

... **right** in the abominations path.

"BOOO!"

If there had been **any** more slumbering residents present in the village, they would have no doubt been awoken from their semi-dead states by the 'blood-curdling' scream that emanated from Konoha's Main Bazaar…

Clutching her frantically beating heart and willing for it to calm down, the young woman shot a highly disapproving look towards her colleague and one of her finest friends.

"Kiba-kun! That w-wasn't very nice of you!" she scolded.

Sporting a sheepish expression, Kiba apologized to his frowning angel with a sincere smile and defended himself by stating that the opportunity was 'much too good' for his crafty mind to pass up.

Hinata only let out a quiet sigh at that, "Okay Kiba-kun i-it's alright. I'm not mad at you or anything..." She gave him a bright smile towards the end of her statement.

A smile that, almost made the Inuzuka lose his bearings... making his heart finally start beating at a fluttering pace, as if the thing hadn't even 'woken up' with him that morning.

_Great Kami... she's so beautiful when she smiles like that!_

Kiba gave her one of his toothy grins consisting of his gleaming canines before informing her that he was heading over to their teammates house…

"Say Hinata…"

The girl in question tilted her head to one side in curiosity.

"You wouldn't mind goin' to Shino's for a bit would you? I mean… well, I wouldn't want to go all alone just to say 'hi' to him ya know. It would feel a bit awkward."

He proceeded to study her reaction to his request.

Years of observance on his part, especially considering that they were on the same team… _still are…_ he corrected himself… had taught him to be especially 'considerate' towards Hinata's choices in any of the activities they would take part in regardless of their type or purpose.

_Well it **does** make her special that way…_ he chuckled to himself.

* * *

><p>"Umm… o-okay Kiba-kun sure."<p>

Hinata's quiet reply successfully pulled him out of his internal musings... "I **was** heading over to Shino-kun's house later anyways. B-But you're right... it would be awkward if only one of us goes, ne?"

She seemed slightly doubtful at that last part, as if seeking a sort of non-verbal form of reassurance from his side.

Kiba sent a warm smile her way and nodded his head indicating that he was cool with that.

Rubbing the back of his neck he asked, "Sooo, let's be off then?"

The young woman nodded and, placing her 'gift' in her shopping basket, joined her friend in his brisk walk towards the Aburame Residence…

_Phew, things are looking up at last... yahoo!_

* * *

><p><strong>Ichiraku Ramen Stand<strong>

"Oi Ossan..." a young, uncharacteristically 'somber' voice asked.

"Hm?"

The elderly chef looked over at his best customer, sporting a look of sheer curiosity.

"Do you think that uh…" the blonde jinchuuriki struggled to form his next words. _I can tell him, he'll definitely know what to do..._

Finally clearing his throat he spoke in a slightly bolder manner.

"Do you think that I could be a... a medic-nin?"

"...?!"

The poor old man just stared and stared at his favourite shinobi in utter bewilderment before throwing his head back and letting out an uncharacteristic **roar** of laughter…

"HAHAHAHA… Oh…! Oh my… my spleen…! HA!"

Uzumaki Naruto did not seem too pleased **or** amused by the older man's reaction to his query, in fact the young man just crossed his arms and let out a pout. Almost exactly like the one he 'used to' carry around whenever he was annoyed as a young genin.

"Oi! What's so damn funny Ossan?" the blonde finally blew his top, venting out his frustration at the hapless Ichiraku owner.

His semi-growl made the stall owner calm down considerably and adopt a sheepish expression, "Hmm... hmm...! Gomen na Naruto." **(Japanese for "Sorry Naruto.")**

Wiping the tears of mirth from his eyes, old man Teuchi apologized profusely to the young lad and asked him as to why he had asked him such an absurd question in the first place. _I just hope he doesn't give me a heart attack this time…_

Naruto visibly fidgeted at that, finding it more profitable to stare at the ground, which had become quite 'interesting' all of a sudden.

"We-ell you see Ossan it's like this."

Taking in a deep breath he continued... "I figured that if I learned to be a medic-nin or at least showed some interest in the thing, Sakura-chan might… y-you know… start noticing me a bit **more** dattebayo."

Naruto ended it at that for he too knew as to how pathetic those means, which were formulated in order to get him closer to the girl of his dreams, sounded.

Teuchi, being blessed with wisdom that was **oft** seen in men and women around his age, placed a comforting hand on his protege's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze to let him know that it was all right to make such attempts even though they may be… 'coarse' for lack of a better word.

"Look Naruto," he began in a kind voice.

Said man looked up at that; his blue eyes filled with a gloomy haze that, in Teuchi's humble opinion, did not belong there...

... at all.

* * *

><p>Choosing his next words carefully, he continued, "Sometimes 'love' makes a man do the most crazy things my boy. Things which most people would mentally consider many times over before even attempting."<p>

Naruto's attentive gaze never left his face, which in turn made the old chef feel as if he was managing to 'actually' get through to him.

"Naruto, I've known you since you were a young tyke and I also knew about your genuine love for Sakura from a long time back as well."

The whisker-marked male nodded, indicating that he was giving the old man his utmost attention.

"So all I'll say is this. If you truly care for her and want her in your life then you must be honest about it. First…" he said, poking at the young man's chest with his right forefinger, "... to yourself and then... to her."

Repeating the ramen-maker's wise words over and over in his head, the blonde shinobi pumped his fist in the air, nearly managing to knock over his 'precious bowl' of miso ramen in the process during his signature move, and let out a yell of joy.

Joy that was filled with not only hope but also a belief, a belief that he could one day be with his favourite medic… by her side.

Finally winding himself down, the blonde man gave the kind old chef a thankful smile before turning around to head off in the direction of Konoha Hospital…

_That guy... he'll never change..._ the ramen-maker thought to himself with a chuckle whilst watching his favourite customer leave through the curtains of his stall.

* * *

><p><strong>With Naruto...<strong>

Or he would have...

... had he not crashed 'head first' into a certain lilac-eyed woman right outside the stand…

"O-Oops!"

"Yowch!" Finding himself fallen unceremoniously on his backside, the jinchuuriki opened his eyes to see a slightly annoyed Kiba helping Hinata onto her feet.

She seemed visibly shaken, according to him at least.

_Well, she **has** always been that way hasn't she?_ the blonde male thought.

A growl of disdain from in front of him however, successfully brought him back to reality.

"Oi Naruto!" the dog-nin glared his way, smoke nearly 'spewing' out of his slightly flared nostrils... "Can't ya at least **watch** where you're going? You're gonna hurt someone if you don't-!"

Kiba's annoyed rant was cut short by Hinata's hand on his shoulder; soft eyes silently requesting for him to stop yelling at the Uzumaki male.

Glancing at her from the corner of his eye, he let out a heavy sigh and complied. Heaven help him if he ever dared to make his little flower 'upset' for any reason...

Unfortunately enough, Naruto did not share the same sentiments…

"Come off it Kiba! You know that it's Hinata's fault that she was in the way. Don't you go blaming me for her shortcomings!"

_N-Nani?_ the woman nearly gasped out in response.

How he had just managed to openly insult one of his closest and most loyal friends, he would perhaps never know because the next second he found himself crashing face first into the gravelly path just behind him… courtesy of a furious punch by the 'physically bigger' Kiba himself.

_Bastard…_ the dog-nin thought darkly, ignoring the gasp, which had escaped Hinata's throat.

_First off he knocks her down then he's got the goddamn nerve to berate her! You **really** did it this time blondie… I can tolerate any sort of shit that you spew out of your mug but… you never, **ever** insult Hinata in front of me and get away with it._

Poor Hinata was at a loss for words because of the serious tension and rapid flow of events occurring in front of her. _W-Why did Kiba-kun have to hit him so hard?_

Her best friend's violent retaliation had effectively 'rooted her' to her spot in that brief moment.

She felt utterly helpless and, deciding to just leave the vicinity before things got worse, tugged at the brunettes arm in an attempt to drag him way from the rapidly deteriorating scene.

Wiping at the blood that was dripping from his upper lip, Naruto pulled himself to his feet and readily realized his error in talking about Hinata in such a rude manner.

_What was I **thinking**, talking about poor Hinata that way-ttebayo? It wasn't any of her fault anyway…_ he inwardly mused, pondering over the cause of his outburst.

Calling out to her in an attempt to stop her he yelled, "Hi-Hinata! Wait!"

The young woman turned around ever so slowly whilst willing for herself to not cry in his presence... **especially** considering that she was no longer a weak, immature teenager anymore.

"I'm-I'm really sorry Hinata. I d-didn't mean a word of what I said-ttebayo…" he began, his hands waving in front of him; eyes and tone sincere. "It just sorta... slipped out… yeah! I didn't mean to hurt you or anything..."

Naruto profusely apologized to the silent heiress as she quietly listened to him... her head hung and eyes moist.

* * *

><p>Kiba let out an unimpressed snort at Naruto's lame attempt to look apologetic for his previous actions… <em>And yet this crap almost <strong>always<strong> works for him, especially if it's Hinata at the receiving end._

Looking over at his teammate, he noticed her wiping away her tears with the back of her hand letting out a tiny sniffle at the end.

Clenching his fists even tighter, the Inuzuka male decided to just let things play out instead of ruining them further… _Calm down. Just calm yourself down Kiba! You don't need to make things worse right now._

Drying away the last of her tears, Hinata gave Naruto a brave smile and said, "I-It's ok Naruto-kun. I knew that you would never say th-those things on purpose."

She looked away for a moment sensing her feelings of hurt re-emerge once again.

Managing to calm herself down a notch she smiled once more...

... this time with conviction.

"You d-don't have to apologize… I forgive you Naruto-kun."

_You've just managed to drive another hole right through her today Narutard…_ Kiba gnashed his teeth in barely restrained anger, standing behind her with his hands safely hidden away in his vest pockets.

Heaving a huge sigh of relief, the oblivious blonde jounin grinned widely at the woman standing across from him.

"Sooo, no hard feelings eh, Hinata?"

The young kunoichi merely blushed in embarrassment while her partner felt mixed feelings boil over in the deepest crevices of his heart. _Can't believe that he treats her feelings so 'lightly' so soon after saying sorry…_

_But Hinata seems fine now doesn't she?_

_Damn! It's just so **hard** to be in this sort of situation!_

Turning towards the dog-nin, the jinchuuriki sheepishly held out his hand for him to shake, "Uh hehe… no hard feelings Kiba? Are we cool dattebayo?"

Kiba decided to let bygones be bygones and shook Naruto's offered hand half-heartedly... "Hn… yeah... sure,"... before leading Hinata away and over to Shino's once again, all the while trying to sort out his own emotions in the aftermath of the ordeal.

Looking back at her blonde crush, the Hyuuga heiress waved one last time before joining Kiba's side... somewhat 'relieved' to have seen the last of her teammate's volatile temper.

Watching them walk away, Naruto let out the breath he did not know he had been holding and thought, _Wow! That was one awesome punch Kiba… I had no idea you could slug people so bad._

He rubbed at his chin to wipe off the remaining trail of blood that had trickled down along it. _But I do wonder why he reacted so violently... he's never hit me like **that** before._

Shrugging to himself, the 'Hero of the Hidden Leaf' headed off for home hoping to let the days events wash away from his system via another hot bowl of his favourite 'cup ramen'.

* * *

><p><strong>Meanwhile…<strong>

As they continued their journey over to their best friends' house, Kiba couldn't help but notice that Hinata still seemed a bit down by all that had occurred just some minutes ago. _Better try and cheer her little face up. C'mon Kiba, just say something to her…_

"Hey... Hinata."

The young woman sniffed a little and looked up at her friend with curious eyes.

"Don't think too much about what Naruto just said back there, he probably had some stale ramen for his lunch or something."

Kiba, himself, noticed that the last statement could only qualify as a 'lame' excuse so he immediately decided to take up a different route.

"You know that he would **never** talk to someone like you that way, right?"

Hinata seemed to ponder over that statement but still seemed unsure.

Covering her sniffles with the back of her hand, she replied, "But Kiba-kun h-he's never gotten mad at me before this like he had just then."

Kiba only crossed his arms and nodded solemnly, managing to understand her confusion.

"W-Why would he-? For no reason?"

Letting a sigh escape him, the dog-nin closed his eyes and let the cool breeze wash over his calm features... _She just doesn't get it huh? That idiot will probably never see her in that way… **ever**…_

Finally getting a thought in his head he turned towards the depressed woman and grasped her shoulders firmly. "To be honest with you Hinata… I just..." he let another sigh pass through his lips and looked back towards his beloved.

"I just... don't know."

Noticing how the kunoichi's eyes started to well up again, he quickly added, "But I do know this."

"That he apologized to you 'as soon as' he realized his mistake…"

He lowered himself to her eye level soon after and lifted her chin up gently with his forefinger.

"... that alone proves that it was just a slip of the tongue and he didn't mean a **damn** word of what he said, okay?"

That seemed to have made her fears subside somewhat since Hinata's face immediately 'perked up' upon hearing the Inuzuka's optimistic words.

Wiping away the remainder of her brief sorrow with her sleeve, she thanked her comrade, "Th-Thank you Kiba-kun."

Kiba let loose another one of his 'infamous' grins, "For what Hina-chan?" making his shy teammate blush instantly at his use of the nickname.

"For making me feel better..." she replied, giving him a bashful smile as he chuckled right back.

_May Kami always bless you and your smile Hinata..._ Kiba thought to himself with a secret grin, admiring her sudden cuteness in that precious moment.

* * *

><p>As the pair walked on along the streets of their village, Kiba gave the air a quick sniff.<p>

Upon realizing exactly where they were located, he immediately grabbed onto Hinata's small hand and gently led her into the renown, 'Yamanaka Flower Shop.'

"K-Kiba-kun why are we going in there?" the girl asked, apparently confused at the male's actions and intentions.

"Well ya see Hinata, I kinda felt bad about only helping you out with mere **words** alone," Kiba looked back at her with a warm smile before continuing, "So I decided to treat you to some…"

He opened the doors to the shop at that with a flourish.

"Flowers!" he proclaimed with unusual glee lacing his tone. _Yosh, I hope this works..._

"Yeah, no shit dog-breath…" a bored feminine voice called out towards them from across the shop...

Glaring in the direction of the voice, while poor Hinata failed to contain her amused giggles, much to his mortification, Kiba barked out, "What're **you** doing here Ino?"

The only child of Inoichi Yamanaka 'face-palmed' at the absurd question put forward by the one of the, apparently, 'intellectually slow' ninja in the whole of Konoha... "I **live** here you moron!"

Her shrill voice resounded from every wall around them, effectively rendering the poor Inuzuka male deaf…

... or atleast, temporarily 'disoriented'.

"U-Um Kiba-kun wanted to treat me to some flowers Ino-san..." came a quiet voice from behind the young male.

Hinata had apparently decided right then to end her unfortunate teammates suffering while she still could... _I just hope his ears are okay…_ she giggled discretely.

The platinum blonde glanced at the female and let out a loud squeal, making Kiba cover his sensitive ears once more whilst yelling out random profanities towards women and their **unnecessary** screaming over the smallest of things.

"HINATA! I haven't seen you in weeks! How've you been? Did the mutt cause you any trouble, huh?" Ino's bombardment of questions and queries had Hinata nearly fumbling for reasonable answers.

Finally having had enough, Kiba considered it wise to step in at that point… _Man, can that woman **talk**!_

Clearing his throat and adopting a polite tone, much to his displeasure, he said, "Look Ino, Hinata was just busy with Kurenai-sensei for the past week. So I thought that I'd buy her some flowers to make her feel relaxed and be able to take it 'easy' for a while."

The dog-nin scratched his cheek and glanced at the colourful wallpaper adorning the beautiful shop's interior, looking **anywhere** but at the faces of the two females in front of him...

... courtesy of his innate embarrassment.

* * *

><p>Ino listened patiently and then suddenly, as if by instinct, ignited a wicked gleam within her baby blue eyes.<p>

"Sooo, treating your teammate with a romantic bouquet huh?" she smirked at the flustered Inuzuka, making him nearly splutter in shock.

Her sultry tone did not sit down well with the wild-haired youth especially since his female companion seemed to have turned a 'beetroot red' at the assumption as well…

"W-What do you mean, I'm just doin' it for Hinata as a friend okay?" Kiba defended himself lamely whilst trying his 'level best' to keep a straight face, because inwardly he was almost 'ecstatic' that at least **someone** had noticed the feelings he secretly harboured for the lilac-eyed beauty.

"Suuure you are…" Ino openly giggled at the man's flustered expression before heading back to her counter and speaking in an amused tone.

"Alright then back to business, what do you wanna buy for her?" _Now let's see what you're capable of lover-boy, hmm... hmm!_

Kiba looked over at a semi-confused Hinata, who only managed a weak smile in return, still being red in the face due to the awkward treatment. _Shoulda known it would be a bad idea to get Ino involved…_ he inwardly groaned.

Sizing up the vast assortment of flowers on display, Kiba finally found **exactly** what he felt would be perfect for his shy angel. _Bingo!_

Pointing to the second row in the shelf right behind Ino, he said, "I'll take that…"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Wooo! Finally edited and properly structured folks…<strong>

**BTW, the cliffhanger was just something that I felt 'needed' to be there so just look out for the next chapter to find out precisely which flower Kiba thought would suit Hinata best… ;D**

**Until next time…!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter III: A Trip to Shino's

(Part 2)

**Disclaimer: Naruto (sadly enough) is not my property and I've never referred to it as such…**

**AN: I just want to give out a heartfelt thanks to all of my readers for their generous ideas and suggestions. Such input is crucial towards the progress of this fic ya know!**

**Now then, let's immerse ourselves in a 'little' chappie shall we? ;D**

* * *

><p><em>Pointing to the second row in the shelf right behind Ino, he said, "I'll take that…"<em>

Ino, as if on cue, turned around and sought out the flower which had been referred to by the Inuzuka. _I really hope he doesn't screw this up…_ she thought with slight dread.

Taking in the appearance of what had been apparently been chosen as the perfect gift for the shy girl by the wild-haired youth, Ino let out a small smile... _But maybe he's really trying to make Hina feel better after all. Hmm… I've got a hunch that dog-breath might **actually** pull this off!_

Trying her best to mask her look of glee, the platinum blonde approached the delicate object and removed it from its perch. Upon turning around she gave a nod of approval in Kiba's direction before presenting the flower to its new owner with her usual, extravagant flair…

"Aaand there you go Hinata..." she said, placing the small thing in her hesitant friend's palm.

"I've got to admit though... even **I** didn't think that ol' Kiba-kun would be able to make the cut..." She gave the young man a playful wink before turning back towards the silent kunoichi in front of her.

"... but I guess that I stand corrected."

Swallowing the growl of annoyance that threatened to rip itself out his throat, Kiba looked over with anxiety at his 'special' person... to see exactly what her reaction would be towards his disguised message of affection. _Gotta keep my fingers crossed for this one…_

What he saw however made it coming all the way to one of his 'least favourite' places worthwhile for him…

_O-Oh... my…_

The pearl-eyed woman's gaze never left the 'strikingly beautiful' white rose that she held in her grasp...

... not that she could, even if she possessed the will to do so.

Hinata was, undoubtedly, rendered completely speechless by her best friend's thoughtful gesture. "K-Kiba-kun this…" she trailed off, very much **unable** to explain the plethora of emotions that were coursing through her system at that moment.

Kiba swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat and tried hard so as to not shiver... _Th-This is nuts! It's as if-as if I've just proposed to her or something! Kiba you nut, just what have you gotten yourself into…_

His miserable train of thought was interrupted as soon as he noticed a 'crystal clear' droplet of liquid cascade its way down his angel's pale cheek.

Before he could attempt to wipe it off for her, Hinata reached up and took care of it herself.

Looking down once more at the beautiful flower, she smiled and it was only then that her hapless teammate received the full brunt of its impact after she had made eye contact with him again…

"..."

_..._

Kiba was stunned.

His breath **refused** to escape him. He had also utterly lost his ability to think in that one beautiful moment when their gazes met.

The sight of heaven, a face which was filled to the brim with such beauty that entire nations would 'happily' bow down their heads to it's sheer radiance, was just a simple touch away for the love struck man… yet he hesitated.

* * *

><p>"Y-Yes Hinata?" he inquired with uncertainty. <em>C'mon Kiba pull yourself together you spineless twit! <em>His internal depreciation continued.

The glorious smile on Hinata's face never once faltered as she successfully, without being aware of it herself, extinguished all of the fears present in the dog-nin's heart... "I-It's beautiful Kiba-kun. I d-don't know what to say…"

Yet she wanted to say so much...

... **wanted** to tell him just how much this small gesture meant to her.

But she, sadly, just couldn't find enough words within her emotionally 'burdened' frame to make such an attempt.

Mentally preparing herself she continued, "I'm really grateful that you did this for me Kiba-kun. Th-Thank you."

_I hope he understands how much this means to me. Oh Kiba-kun, I'm really lucky to have a friend like you. You can be so... kind and caring when you really want to..._ the purple-haired heiress thought whilst smiling to herself, already failing to notice what her declaration had done...

... or rather was doing, to the handsome jounin in front of her.

Quite literally sweating from the base of his neck by now, Kiba attempted a vocal response to the girl's appreciation but failed…

... miserably.

_It's official; I'm a hopeless case when it comes to her..._ he inwardly sighed. _Kami! Why oh why did you make her so beautiful that even some of the **women** from around the village tend to have a crush on her!_

Thinking back on the topic, he literally 'shuddered' at the absurd scenario. _Don't deviate too much ya twit!_

Meeting her lovely eyes once more, he thought with a warm smile... _So what if people think that she's only 'physically' attractive. For me she'll always be so much more than that…_

He felt lighter than the air around him as she blushed once more, gently holding onto the flower in her grasp, _You'll always remain precious to me because of your tender heart Hinata._

Finding his voice at last, he replied, "I-It's alright Hinata. Your welcome."

Thinking quickly he added, "I hope you're feelin' better now." _Heh, the trip here wouldn't have been of much use otherwise…_

Letting loose yet another beaming smile for the 'entire' world to see and celebrate, Hinata nodded vigorously. "Y-Yes I'm feeling much, much better now Kiba-kun."

Grinning at her like a 7-year old, the brown-haired shinobi said, "Funny how one simple flower can do that huh?" Soon after at that Kiba couldn't help but think, _Of course, no flower would look **half** as appealing unless you were the one holding it Hina._

Now Ino, who had shown 'astonishing' patience while witnessing these rare events play out before her very eyes, repeating the excited words 'Oh wow!' over and over in her head at every change in her two friend's expressions... reacted abruptly without the 'slightest' hint as to her arrival…

"Just **who** do you think you are Inuzuka?" she shrieked, almost managing to 'break' the sound barrier with her holler.

"Calling my flowers 'simple'?! The nerve!" An irate Ino continued to rant in the dog-nin's overly sensitive eardrums making him nearly stumble over in shock.

_Holy fuck can she scream like a harpy!_ he inwardly yelled in annoyance. _I'd better tread lightly while she's around…_

He rubbed the area behind his ears gingerly with an inaudible sigh, _My poor ears…_

* * *

><p>Satisfied at seeing that her message had carried through, the feisty kunoichi turned towards her female compatriot.<p>

"By the way Hinata, where exactly are you two headed?"

Hinata promptly narrated to her the reason of their afternoon trek and to say that Ino wasn't surprised would be to say that Sai was Sasuke's half-brother… (rhetorically speaking of course!)

"Wow!" she said, scratching her cheek whilst looking towards the ceiling in wonder. "I-I mean um… I can't believe that someone like **Shino** could actually fall sick." Her friend merely nodded her head in mute understanding.

"Yes I thought the very same thing for all these years. But I think Shino-kun got infected while he might have least expected it Ino-san," Hinata told her, glancing towards Kiba so as to not let him feel 'left out' on the new information.

The male was by then leaning against one of the many counters, which decorated the shop; arms crossed, patiently waiting for Hinata's small talk with the Yamanaka female to come to an end… _Come on already Hina! We're gonna be late as it is._

Suddenly the door at the back of the shop, used to access the innermost sanctums of the Yamanaka's domain AKA their living room etc, opened... causing all present to turn their heads in the direction of the unexpected visitor…

"Oh! I didn't know that you were expecting company Ino dear."

Kiba literally felt his chin touch the plywood floor, no doubt his jaw was threatening to fall off its hinges by that point as he stared at the gorgeous woman standing right in front of him.

Who, for some strange reason, was giving him one of the most 'alluring' smiles to ever be seen by modern man.

"Why, hello there and you must be…" the elegantly dressed woman spoke with words laced in pure 'unmistakable' silk.

_Like she's some sorta temptress…_ Ino growled in apparent irritation, not quite keen on having the spotlight stolen from her at all...

"Excuse me young man…" _(Snap!) (Snap!)_ The elegantly dressed woman clicked her dainty fingers in front of the Inuzuka's face trying to awaken him from his dazed state.

Kiba snapped back to the living world and immediately turned crimson at what he had just unknowingly experienced... "I-I'm sorry miss bu-but its just that I… you…"

Her hand raised in front of his face did the job of stopping his verbal apology though.

"It's alright, there's no need to explain yourself my boy. I tend to get that sort of reaction from most people, or should I say… young 'handsome' men like yourself," she laughed lightly making the 'heir' to the Inuzuka clan the 'not-so-proud' owner of red, flaming cheeks.

_W-What did she just-?_

Poor Kiba was confused and downright scared out of his wits, having never had the honour or even 'misfortune' of meeting such a forward; he added out of sheer respect towards Ino's mother, woman in his entire life. _Well I guess you could say that Mom and Hana are a **bit** no nonsensical but this is crazy!_

Ino then vehemently lashed out at her mother, her cheeks emotionally burnt out of utter embarrassment, "Mother! H-How can you flirt with just **any** man that way?"

"Hey!" the jounin suddenly retorted with indignation at being referred to so… loosely.

"Oh my!" the older Yamanaka put her hand over her mouth in a fake display of surprise... "Ino dear, is it so bad to praise an attractive man's good qualities once in a while?"

Kiba blushed heatedly at the 'blunt' form of her speech.

"I merely called him as 'good-looking' you silly girl. You're just being whiny."

"I am not and you know it!" Ino fired back, obviously at her last nerve. _Grrr..._ **(AN: Inner Ino?)**

* * *

><p>"U-Uh... ladies…?"<p>

Both women turned towards the flushed male, thankfully forgetting their little 'squabble' to respond to his call, "… can we (ahem) can we just introduce each other and get it over with?" he suggested in as polite a manner as he could muster.

_I'm gonna have to join Shikamaru's 'Cloud Watching' club if this keeps up…_ he later thought with dread. _It's no wonder he **hates** to be around women…_

Crossing her arms across her chest and sporting a look of disdain for her mother and her antics, Ino decided to finish off the pleasantries as quickly as possible.

"Hinata, Kiba... this-" she gestured towards the waving female, "-is my mother, Izumi Yamanaka."

"U-Um pleasure to meet you Izumi-san..." Hinata said with a slight bow, as a way of showing respect towards the older woman... as she had been taught for 'years on end' by her highly strung father.

"Yeah, nice to meet you too Izumi-san," Kiba said nodding his head with his hands deeply buried in his vest pockets.

"Nice to meet the both of you, but please dear…" Izumi said, turning towards the shy Hyuuga heiress, "… don't bow before me. At least not **yet**, not until my hair starts to grey!" The polished lady laughed cheerfully at her own joke.

Ino slapped her forehead with a groan while Hinata just smiled back uneasily at the jovial woman... turning slightly pink as only **she** could.

_Man, she's a weird one alright. Wonder if Ino got her hair **and** brains from her…_ Kiba wondered whilst looking at the younger blonde with a raised eyebrow but only managing to earn a sharp glare in his direction. _What's **her** problem…?_

"Kiba-kun w-we have got to hurry or we'll be late!" Hinata suddenly said with urgency lacing her tone, having apparently recalled their **main** reason for being out and about.

"Huh? Oh yeah uh…" the Inuzuka looked back at the two blondes and tried to look as apologetic as possible, "… sorry gotta run, we promised to meet Shino today and we're already behind schedule."

Giving a curt wave to the older Yamanaka he said, "Bye Izumi-san it was uh… nice meeting you."

"Yes goodbye Izumi-san, we're sorry we h-have to rush in this manner..." Hinata proceeded to add, whilst also wearing an apologetic expression on her pale face.

The blonde matriarch waved them off good-naturedly, "Oh, It's quite alright I don't mind."

"Not after I had the pleasure of meeting such a dashing young man!" she giggled, making her daughter let out a snort and the two Konoha shinobi turn red in the face once more.

"But do come by every now and then hm?"

Hinata smiled at her unfailingly kind and hospitable nature, bowing out of gratitude in front of her once more. "Of course Izumi-san, we'd love to."

Kiba stared at his teammate in disbelief… _Speak for yourself Hina-chan!_ he inwardly groaned, comical tears appearing in his dark-brown eyes.

Gracing them with a motherly smile, the older blonde ushered them out the door and wished them good luck for their visit.

Her daughter said her 'byes' as well and stood leaning on the doors hinges... watching her two friends leave in 'more-than-visible' haste. _Can't really blame them for that... hmph._

* * *

><p>Turning back towards her child, with a bright smile on her 'still' youthful face, Izumi spoke, "They're both nice people, your friends…"<p>

Ino simply 'Mm-hmed' in agreement with her keen observation.

"If I'm not mistaken, didn't that young man buy a white rose for your friend?"

The platinum blonde looked up at her mother, seeing her reflection in a pair of baby-blue eyes; ones similar to hers, and nodded, "Yep… that Kiba's had a thing for Hinata for a while now, perhaps longer."

Her mother nodded to let her know that she was listening.

The younger blonde let out a sigh before continuing, "But you see mother, Hinata… likes Naruto."

"Oh! You mean that nice blonde boy with the whisker markings?"

Ino shook her head in confirmation... "The very same." _I still don't understand **why** she's giving up such a great catch as Kiba for that dumbass…_

Izumi seemed visibly puzzled at that, "But then… does Kiba know about all of this?"

Her daughter shook her head once more, "Uh-huh, he's known about it ever since Hinata's been chasing after the blonde idiot. But for some **darn** reason he's too scared to tell her."

The wise parent sighed and placed a gentle hand on her daughter's shoulder, "He's not scared Ino..." She waved her forefinger in front of the young woman to emphasize her point.

Sensing her confusion, the lady pushed on, "Kiba cares more about Hinata's feelings than his **own** personal desires and I for one…" she pointed the raised appendage towards herself, "… feel that he's a very noble and caring young man, hopelessly in love with... someone who's just 'beyond' his reach."

Ino contemplated her mothers words and asked, "Ok, but why would he wait if there is just about **nothing** in it for him? I certainly never felt this way about... Sasuke when I was younger."

She admitted the last part of her argument quietly, recalling her own 'foolish' childhood endeavors.

Izumi smiled warmly and gave her only daughter a small hug of understanding.

Believing it to be the right time, she said, "My dear child, you will certainly understand what your friend is going through once you yourself fall in love with someone…"

Letting those words signify the end to their little 'talk', the duo stood at their door and waited patiently for the beautiful sunset that was soon to be upon them.

On that would cover their forms in its tender embrace...

_I hope you're right... mother._

* * *

><p><strong>Somewhere in the streets of Konoha<strong>

As the pair neared their teammates dwelling, Kiba felt it wise to let his feelings loose. _At least for the time being..._ he inwardly reasoned with himself.

"Say Hinata…"

The young woman looked back at her companion in question with a slightly raised eyebrow.

_Whoa! I didn't know she could even do that!_ he smirked inwardly. _Hell, she looks more mature this way and **definitely** more lovable… _He ended his train of thought with a well-hidden smile.

"Hai, what is it Kiba-kun?" Hinata asked with all the innocence in the world.

Clearing his throat, Kiba said, "I-It's about those uh… those roses that I (ahem) bought for you from back at Ino's."

Letting a lovely smile grace her already mesmerizing features, the beauty replied, "Oh! Yes those were **lovely** Kiba-kun. Thank you f-for treating me with such a gift…"

She trailed off and to Kiba's surprise and delight, began twiddling her forefingers together all the while sporting the most **fabulous** tinge of pink on her adorable cheeks.

_Just like she used to when we were still chuunin..._ the taller shinobi thought fondly, nostalgia seeping into his system. _She was cute then but she's cute and beautiful now. Damn, It feels so 'wrong' about having to let her go but I don't know what else to do…_

His gloomy thoughts were **immediately** flushed from his system when to his complete shock... he felt something soft and tender press against the side of his face…

… or more specifically…

... his left cheek.

"Thank you for everything Kiba-kun…" her heavenly voice resonated in his ears whilst her delicate lips vanished from their position just as quickly as they had appeared.

Kiba had never before in his **entire** mundane life, experienced so much joy…

Sooo much elation that he felt as if he had done something that was an 'achievement' in itself. _Goddamn! I feel so… so **happy** right now!_

_How could a simple 'kiss' from her turn me into such a pathetic pile of mush? You… You really are something else Hina._

The dog-nin wanted to make 'it' happen again but he, inevitably, recalled his self-made vow with righteous dread… _It's not my destiny to do so but someone else's. My rights over these... feelings end exactly where they begin and nowhere else..._

It was a saddening thought that almost completely stole away whatever temporary **joy** he had felt just mere seconds ago.

_Life sucks so bad right now..._ Kiba innately growled; hands curling into fists and the urge to simply scream 'out loud' nearly overtaking his senses.

"Um… Kiba-kun you ok?" Hinata asked while trying… and failing… he noted… to stop the permanent blush on her small face from reappearing again.

Clearing his head, the Inuzuka decided to adopt a 'much-needed' playful approach for their conversation. _Anything to get rid of this crappy mood that I'm in..._

"Hmm, lets see..." Kiba crossed one arm across his chest and placed the palm of his remaining appendage under his chin in mock contemplation. _Time to let her have it, Hehe!_

"... I've just been 'kissed' by one of the most beautiful women to **ever** walk this earth and I'm miraculously still alive to be able to tell people about it."

He cheekily sent a wink her way as she turned a pure scarlet at his words, "So all in all, I think I'm good how 'bout you?"

The crimson blush that erupted once more on his beloved's face was surely a 'sight to behold' right then…

_I just hope that I don't kill her one of these days due to high blood pressure!_ the wild haired ninja chuckled to himself.

"K-Kiba-kun!"

* * *

><p>The defenseless Hyuuga was lost for words. Her Inuzuka friend had never complimented her so… so <strong>highly<strong> before.

In short, she had absolutely no idea on how to reply to his 'over the top' display of flattery.

"Yes H-I-N-A-chan…?" he replied with a teasing tone lacing his lips as he twiddled his finger in front of her face like a friendly tutor.

"Y-You're bad!" she playfully shoved him, whilst giggling madly the entire time, being unable to recall the last time that she had laughed this much in her life.

Looking back up at her stunning form laughing and holding her sides in mirth, Kiba felt as if he would **never** get enough of the priceless scene… _(Sigh) It's like a blessing really. Watching her like this, so carefree and... happy._

"O-Oh y-you're such a smooth talker sometimes Kiba-kun…" the girl gasped in between her slowly descending fit of giggles, eyes being shut away from the world for the moment.

Kiba snapped his head up at that, staring at his childhood love in utter bewilderment, almost blurting out that what all he had said was 'true'... right down to its archaic meaning but **somehow** managing to hold onto his tongue. _I don't want to make her more troubled than she already is, if she can think of this as a joke and be even a **little** relaxed and cheerful, then that should be enough for me…_

The sounds of her feather-light giggles resonated in his ears as he thought that.

_Yeah... it should_, he reassured himself.

"Hmm? What's the matter Kiba-kun? You look worried..." Her voiced concern for his well-being **easily** reached into the deepest confines of his heart.

He appreciated it, he really did.

But... said topic wasn't their main priority right now. _Better get moving already... we've already wasted enough time as it is._

"Nah, I'm fine Hina but we'd better move fast. Shino would be getting sick and tired of waiting for us by now..." He ignored the chuckle, which was about to rise in his throat due to the 'unintended' reference to his friend's condition.

Clapping her hands over her mouth, she exclaimed, "Oh! Your right Kiba-kun. We'd better hurry then."

Thinking on his feet, the brunette told her to hop onto his broad back.

"... since that way we'll reach there sooner than on foot Hina," he added quickly, dissolving any doubts that 'may' have formed in her mind.

Hinata, although unsure and reluctant at first, carefully clambered onto her friend's back.

"Better hold on tight Hinata cuz we're going for a ride!" Kiba said, looking back at his passenger with a mischievous grin adorning his handsome features.

The poor girl's lilac eyes widened at the very notion, "Please d-don't go too fast Kiba-kun. It's my first time riding anything you know..." She muttered the last part more to herself than her 'noble steed.'

The dog-nin merely smiled at her purity, feeling his eyes 'soften' involuntarily at her words.

"Ok then don't you worry Hina-chan, I'll personally ensure that you reach your destination safely and in one piece."

"Th-Thank you Kiba-kun," his bashful rider said gratefully with a sweet smile.

"AND WE'RE OFF!" Kiba roared before racing away towards his bug-friend's house with his precious cargo perched safely upon his back…

* * *

><p><strong>Aburame Residence<strong>

**SCREEEECH!**

The sound of heels being dug into the dirt in order to halt the momentum of their approach could be heard loud and clear across the surrounding area.

Finally slowing down to a complete halt, Kiba turned around to check up on his companion... "So… was **that** slow enough Hinata?" the energetic shinobi asked his female compatriot.

Holding onto his shirt just a minute longer in order to get her bearings straightened out, the pale skinned maiden moved to dismount from her friend's back.

"That w-was very exciting Kiba-kun."

Her cheeks turned (any guesses?) pink as she let out another small smile before asking him shyly, "Maybe we can do it a-again sometime?"

The love struck Inuzuka's heart nearly 'leaped' at that. _Good thing it didn't jump right out into her hand though!_ he inwardly laughed, feeling a welcome bout of joy ease into his heart.

"Yeah sure Hina, you can just ask me to carry you anytime you want to. Your subordinate is at your service and under your command your highness," he added, striking a dramatic pose followed by a stylish bow before her.

Hardly managing to stop herself from blushing at such treatment, Hinata instead laughed softly at her friend's antics, calling him crazy and funny... "You're behaving s-so differently lately Kiba-kun, may I ask the reason for such a welcome change?" the kunoichi asked him playfully.

Taking her words to heart, the young man, himself, started searching for the reasons for such a dramatic change in his demeanor… and yet came up with only **one** simple answer.

_Too bad that the reasons surrounding my answer are so complicated Hinata, otherwise I would have gladly shared them with you…_ he thought with a sad smile.

"Ah, You know me Hinata. I'm never able to sit still and be like everyone else. I'd much rather mess around with myself then do nothing at all and-"

He was immediately silenced when a velvety hand was placed upon his mouth. _Eh?_

"Please... don't **ever** say that again Kiba-kun."

He only raised a thin eyebrow in a mute display of curiosity.

"Messing around with one's life is never a good thing Kiba-kun. Please... d-don't even think of doing such a thing…

Her voice nearly racked, as if her innermost fears had been laid bare and exposed, "I-I w-wouldn't want to lose you like... like Naruto-kun once lost Sasuke-kun..." She ended it on that note, letting a few treacherous tears escape the confines of her dark eyelashes.

Removing her hand gently from over his mouth, Kiba proceeded to wipe away **every** last teardrop that was within his sight from where he could see.

He then placed a hand tenderly on her shivering shoulder; voice softening as he consoled her, "Shhh… don't worry Hinata. Like I said, you know me best right?"

She nodded weakly in reply, leaning into his touch 'albeit' hesitantly.

"There! So? You would, or rather, should be the first one to know that I may be a bit crazy but I'm not... **that** crazy right?"

Wiping the last of her tears from off her pink cheek, he spoke in a gentle tone, "Know this Hina-chan, that I'll never leave you behind like that. By… hurting you or by causing you any sort of trouble." He ended it by giving her a small pat on the head, making her blush grow in depth.

"I promise to **always** be there for you whenever you need me... kay?"

Hinata gave him a small smile of gratitude in response, feeling the weight in her chest ease up by a large amount.

* * *

><p>"Cuz ya know…" he continued flashing his prominent canines at her with a grin, "That's my nindo!" He finished his little speech by pointing towards himself; broad chest pushed out with pride.<p>

Grinning and giving her childhood friend an affectionate hug, which served to instantly 'deflate' his current pose, she said, "But we a-aren't genin to be talking about such things now are we Kiba-kun."

Already feeling lightheaded after being rewarded with such 'intimate' contact with the sole desire of his life, Kiba was surprised yet glad to hear his angel's quiet laughter once again resonate in his ears.

_Her voice can make or break me now. What 'exactly' am I trying to accomplish with Hinata and myself? _He only sighed, letting go of the depressing thoughts and 'returning' her affectionate hug with a coy embrace of his own.

_Kami... I just want to hold her... and nothing more... _

The scent of lilies wafted up his nose as he sniffed her silky locks with a sense of 'mild' glee.

"Ahem...!"

Looking up to see as to who had volunteered to ruin their little moment, _Heck, It was a once in a lifetime sorta moment for me though…_ they saw a man with curly black hair and dark shades apparently staring in their direction.

Who also 'appeared' to be silently inquiring as to what they might be doing on his property.

_At least that's what I think he might be trying to figure out…_ the dog-nin thought with a shrug, his hold around his love slackening slightly.

Hinata almost immediately raced towards the man and bowed low in respect before sharing with him the reason for their visit. "Konbawa Aburame-san, W-We've come to see Shino-kun. Is he awake?" the petite woman asked timidly, her hands clasped in front of her, one upon the other.

Glancing over at the other jounin, Shibi Aburame answered the girl in his signature 'brief' manner... "Konbawa to you too Hinata-san. Yes, Shino is awake and would love your company at the moment."

Kiba let out a groan at the stoic man's use of vocabulary. _As if having Shino around wasn't enough. Now we're making small talk with his old man who talks **just** like him!_

Ignoring the Inuzuka's public display of boredom, the Aburame elder led the pair into the confines of his families quiet dwelling…

Upon reaching the door, the man said with a slight whisper, "It would be wise if you two refrain from practicing such... 'activities' on my property."

Overlooking the obvious discomfort that his previous statement was making his two 'guests' go through, the older jounin plowed on, "Why? Because we have to look after our good name in society unlike... 'some' people that I know of."

Making sure to disguise his lack of fondness for the older man, Kiba merely nodded his head in agreement. _Old fart thinks us Inuzuka's are just a bunch of savages or somethin'. It's a good thing I don't come here often or I might get arrested on charges of 'manslaughter' someday…_

Shibi led them up a set of stairs, which led to the private rooms and lodgings of members of his clan.

_Oh my, does Shino-kun like to stay in such a gloomy place at night?_ Hinata wondered with slight praise for her introverted friend's apparent bravery and overall choice for a dwelling.

Once they reached a door that seemed to be of a different colour than the rest, oddly enough, the Aburame patriarch stopped and...

... after knocking twice, entered the room...

... which contained his only son and the 'heir' to their clan.

_Shino-kun..._

* * *

><p>Shino... was lying on his bed; faced up and physically surrounded by his 'Kikaichu' bugs.<p>

The very **same** ones who were roaming freely all over his covered torso. (He was obviously dressed in his regular garb instead of being stark naked)

_Does he even sleep with the damn things?_ Kiba mentally yelled... but tried not to show it on his face. His female comrade wasn't doing any better either, visibly 'squirming' as she witnessed the tiny creatures crawl all over their teammate's vulnerable body.

Then, as if he possessed the ability to answer their silent prayers, Shibi Aburame explained the role of the insects in his sons recovery...

"The insects will absorb all of the excess heat as well as the toxic fluids that may seep through Shino's exterior. Why? Because that's one of their **major** healing characteristics and they are quite well known for it."

Kiba let out a sound of exasperation, _Great! He not only talks like Shino, but he even explains things like him too!_

The abrupt end to the 'clicking' of the insects brought his attention back onto his sick friend... "Hey Shino you okay man? You look kinda 'good' for a guy who's got the stomach bug."

Kiba grinned at the pun but had to have his hopes dashed when his lady friend just shook her pretty head in embarrassment.

But inwardly even she had to admit to herself that it had been a 'tad bit' amusing... _Kiba-kun and his corny jokes, they're only saved for the worst of moments…_ she snickered... _sadly enough._

Shino raised a thin eyebrow at his teammate's intended use of the pun but decided to let it slide, instead opting to answer his earlier question.

"I'm fine Kiba as you can clearly see. Why? Because my insects are well known for-"

He was however...

... abruptly interrupted by a **glomp** from his female comrade.

"That's great Shino-kun! I-I'm really glad that you're making such a quick recovery, maybe we can even resume our training real soon too!"

Shino looked down at the dark blue locks present right under his chin and nodded dumbly. _She **hugged** me? That's a first…_

The bug-user was obviously referring to the mild change in the young woman's demeanor. _I wonder if Kiba is responsible for this change in her…?_

"I thank you for your concern Hinata, but I'm afraid that training for the next two weeks is most **definitely** out of the question."

Hinata looked back up at him and offered the man an encouraging smile, "D-Don't you worry Shino-kun, you'll be on your feet and fit to practice with us in no time."

Kiba could have sworn he saw what could only be described as a slight 'twitch' of a smile on Shino's lips before the dark-haired jounin looked over in his direction with a raised eyebrow.

"Well Kiba? Don't **you** have any heartfelt condolences to offer me?"

Said brunette scratched his head in confusion before responding, "Well uh… lets see. I hope you-"

The room was suddenly filled with the sounds of giggles from 'none other' than the shy Hyuuga herself.

* * *

><p>Utterly bewildered as to why Hinata had begun laughing outright at his expense, the dog-nin glanced at his bug friend with a questioning look. To his further horror, he was met with one of the rarest sights to ever be seen in the 'Land of Fire'…<p>

... Shino's smile!

"H-Hey! Shino you're- and Hinata why are you laugh-" he started babbling in a state of slight panic.

His two teammates looked at each other before the sounds of mirth continued as if they had never even stopped. _Geez! Have they lost it or what?_ Kiba wondered in bewilderment before it hit him...

... like a sack of dried bricks.

He got **made**!

He got made by one of the most tight-assed shinobi in the entire village!

_Ohhh... now he's done it. You're dead Shino! I'm so gonna squash you like a bug you-! _His murderous thoughts were fueled further... along with his levels of embarrassment; soaring to whole new heights as he witnessed his flower clutching her sides and wiping away her tears in sheer mirth.

Shino lightly tapped Hinata on the shoulder and gestured for her to look towards their comrade.

Her lilac orbs fell upon her brown-haired friend...

... a 'red-in-the-face' friend to be precise.

She stopped giggling immediately when she saw that realization had sunk in for Kiba and looked down in slight shame at having openly laughed at him.

His friends' pensive looks proved successful in making him 'forget' about his apparent rage... since he promptly bent down in front of Hinata who was seated at the foot of the bug-ridden bed.

Lifting her chin up gently he looked into her soft eyes and said, "Heeey now, don't you go about feeling sorry for something so silly Hina. You know how **dumb** I can be…"

Giving it a second thought he added for future safety; a questioning look appearing on his face as he glanced away from her, "… sometimes."

His lilac-eyed teammate giggled at his last minute reprieve of his confession and gave him a wide grin.

Giving her a toothy grin of his own, Kiba continued, "And besides, I think the **real** culprit is this smart-ass over here..." He nodded his head in the other male's direction...

... earning a slight 'bonk' on the head from his angel.

"Don't say that Kiba-kun! I-I think it's nice that Shino-kun is able to joke too once in a while."

Watching her pout cutely was something he was 'more than willing' to be a spectator of but her comment made Kiba reply back almost instantaneously.

"Whoa whoa there Hinata!" he raised his hands up in mock defense, "All I'm sayin' is that I honestly didn't expect ol' Shino to even be able to 'pull off' something like that!"

"You mean that you had **no** confidence in my humorous abilities whatsoever?"

Both of the squabbling shinobi glanced over at the sound of the deep voice of their comrade and exchanged helpless looks... _I wonder if **all** the guy does is sulk. He's just so damn hard to read sometimes!_

"Oh but Shino-kun, that's not what Kiba-kun meant at all. R-Right Kiba-kun?" The beauty gave Kiba a pleading look whilst placing her hand over Shino's, as a gesture of support.

Letting a deep sigh escape him, Kiba decided to simply co-operate and get things over with, "Yeah she's pretty much-"

* * *

><p><strong>That<strong> half-hearted attempt...

... earned him a slight glare from Hinata... which in turn made him nearly 'shiver' to the very bone.

_Good lord she looks amazing when she does that!_ the Inuzuka mentally exclaimed.

His internal musings were put on hold as he finished his admittance to one of his 'closest' male friends. _Don't you be turning into a masochist now Kiba…_ he innately warned himself.

"What I meant to say was that she's right. I... didn't really mean what I said Shino. Guess I was just mad at you for being able to 'dupe' me so easily…"

His female associate gave him a proud smile and released her other friend's hand, as Shino looked over at Kiba and gave him yet another rare smile...

_There he goes again! He'd better not act smart this time. _Kiba mentally prepared himself for any verbal humiliation…

... which, thankfully, never came.

"Your reaction to my earlier query was... expected Kiba, you don't have to be shame-faced about it…"

Well... almost.

_Arrogant, smart-ass bastard!_ Kiba inwardly growled, clenching his jaw shut lest he barked out comical insults at his old 'associate'.

"Why? Because you are quite infamous for your short temper throughout the village my friend," the bug-user promptly finished off his observation with an offered hand to his close friend and comrade.

Swallowing a sound of contempt, Kiba shrugged his shoulders... deciding to let his teammate off easy. _For now. I'll give him **hell** when he gets better, Hehe..._ the devious Inuzuka smirked to himself.

* * *

><p><strong>After several minutes of catching up, quarreling (mostly from Kiba's end) and 'gift' unwrapping...<strong>

Smiling at both of her dear friends and heaving a sigh of relief, _Playing peacemaker can be really taxing sometimes… hmm… hmm!_ Hinata decided that it was time that Kiba and her bid their teammate a pleasant goodnight.

"Goodnight Shino-kun, I do hope you get better soon," the petite woman waved from the doorway, her smile unmoving from her face.

Her goggle-wearing teammate gave her a simple nod of his appreciation.

"Yeah, take care Shino..." Kiba waved casually with his other hand placed lazily in his pant pocket.

The Aburame heir decided to voice out his 'own' goodbyes for his squad members then... "I hope to join you two quite soon. Why? Becau-"

Having had enough of the slightly 'unnerving' speech pattern for one day, Kiba growled out, "Yeah we know why! Geez... just get better quick so I can **pound** your smart ass!"

He received another 'gentle' reprimanding from his beautiful companion, "Kiba-kun! Is that any way to say goodbye?"

_I thought I already told the guy' bye' once…_ Kiba thought to himself while scratching his chin...

... but was brought back to solid reality by the slightly disappointed look that adorned his precious Hinata's angelic face.

Crossing her arms over her chest, Hinata gave her friend a sharp look of disapproval. _Mo...! I just don't know what to do with him sometimes!_

Groaning at his inability to keep his big mouth shut, Kiba led her out of their comrades humble home and beyond the front gate…

... his lips muttering out apologies all the way.

_I'd better start working on my people skills soon…_ he sighed submittedly in defeat as she glanced back at him teasingly, an adorable grin on her pink face.

_Silly..._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Phew! Finally done. Man editing can take a lifetime! ;D<strong>

**Sooo... please 'READ & REVIEW' because your input is always going to be appreciated.**

**BTW, the next chapters going to 'analyze' the inner thoughts and feelings of our favourite Hyuuga so don't miss it folks!**

**Also, I'm upping the rating from 'T' to 'M' due to language and melodrama related issues…**

**Adios!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter IV: My friend, my teammate, my…?

**Disclaimer: Never owned this 'GREAT' anime/manga series and (sadly) never will.**

**AN: I'm so, so, sooo sorry for the lengthy delay my dear readers. Had (unfortunately) certain minor AND major issues to deal with… resulting in me not being able to think about or write the next chapter in this fic. Had a severe case of 'writers block' too… X(**

**BUT! Thankfully the dark clouds have passed on and I'm feeling quite pleasant at the moment.**

**So without any further ado let us enjoy yet another (exciting? LOL) chapter shall we? (There are slight changes in the writing style this time around too)**

**BUT! (Again! Lolz) First and foremost…**

**A veeery 'Merry Christmas' AND a 'Happy New Year' to one and all. Hope you all had a blast! =)**

* * *

><p>Shifting under the covers of her mattress, the young woman tried to shield her eyes from the intruding rays of light, which had invaded the confines of her spacious bedroom. <em>Mmm... so bright...<em> she moaned softly.

Cracking one of her lilac orbs open, the purple haired female let loose a tired smile, a habit she had adopted since childhood to welcome the early morning warmth…

Yawning softly and rubbing the last few grains of sleep from her eyes, she sat up in bed and searched for her slippers. _Hmm…? Where could they have gone?_ she asked no one in particular. _It's strange, I'm sure they were right under my bed._

Finally deciding to brave the perilously cold trip to her lavatory, the shivering woman headed over to answer the call of nature. _I really wish father hadn't made **every** floor in the manor out of pure marble…_ the young woman sighed as she closed the door behind her.

Once inside, the shy beauty disrobed herself and began her bath…

Being done with the routine activity, she wrapped her favourite 'lavender' towel around her curvy frame and moved on to brushing her pearly whites. _But I do wonder as to where my slippers could have gone_, she thought morosely.

She continued with the brushing of her teeth before suddenly choking on the 'mint' paste in her mouth... _What if... someone's **stolen** them?_

Hinata stared back at her disheveled face in silent shock before chastising herself for having such a wild imagination. _And that too at such an hour… honestly… I'd better get some breakfast or my absurd thoughts will definitely spoil my whole day._

Finishing up with her morning duties, the heiress headed over to have a warm breakfast before beginning her days training. _It would be better to avoid the egg rolls for a while. Sakura-san **did** say that they're bad to have as early morning breakfast._

With that reminder in order, she sat at her usual position on the dais...

... as an elderly servant appeared from around the corner at that moment.

"Oh! Good morning Hinata-sama. Did you sleep well?" the old woman asked in a kind (almost motherly) tone.

Looking up at her personal caretaker, Hinata produced a brilliant smile, "Why yes, a-and a very good morning to you too Miko-san."

The lady smiled and nodded before placing the tray laden with her mistresses breakfast on the small table... "There. I hope it's to your liking Hinata-sama, I prepared your **favourite** dish today." She removed the metal lid, revealing a lavish stack of healthy eatables.

_Perfect for a fresh start to one's day_, the hungry girl beamed in sheer delight.

"Wow Miko-san! Di-Did you make all of this by yourself?" she inquired of the old woman who just grinned widely in response.

"But of course dear. I always make sure to prepare your meals myself now don't I?"

The purple-haired kunoichi smiled before clapping her hands together "Itadakimasu!" and digging in… _Mmmm! O-Oh my! This is even better than what she usually cooks for me!_

Glancing up at the hard-working old dame, she nodded... indicating that the meal was 'undoubtedly' delicious. Upon receiving a glowing smile in return, the delighted Hyuuga resumed with her chewing in earnest.

* * *

><p>Watching the young woman eat was an experience in itself for the old servant of the Hyuuga clan. <em>Hinata-sama eats with a pristine perfection <strong>rarely<strong> seen in even other women her age or older. She hardly ever spills anything, always going for the smaller of the items first._

Folding her arms behind her, Miko let loose a secret smile. _I do wonder as to how she will handle a **male** in the house once she gets married though._

The lady barely managed to stop herself from laughing outright at the very thought... it was simply 'too amusing' to even be kept dormant within her heart. _It would be interesting no doubt..._

She continued on with her internal musings, ignorant to the pale hand that was being waved just 'inches' from her wrinkled nose. _If I know my mistress well then she'll tolerate almost **anything** that's placed in front of her but I'm sure she would frown upon her 'to-be' husband's lack of table manners-_

"Ano… Miko-san a-are you alright?"

Returning to the living world from her daze was easy enough for the old woman…

"Hu-Huh? What? Oh, I'm sorry dear I was just thinking about something," a sheepish Miko apologized to her worried mistress.

Hinata tilted her head to one side in curiosity but had to have concerns waved off by the woman... as she requested for the former to finish up.

Placing her hand down by her side, the girl stood up and headed over to the washbasin... yet suddenly halted in her steps and turned back to her 'still standing' guardian.

Looking up at her charges questioning look, Miko decided to speak first, "What seems to be bothering you today Hinata-sama? I've noticed that you've been pondering over something ever since you began eating." Putting her finger on her chin she continued, "Surely you're not in any sort of trouble are you?"

The flustered girl waved her hands in a defensive manner at that, "N-No Miko-san its nothing like that at all. I-It's just that I've had a **lot** on my mind lately."

The heiress hastily resumed the rinsing of her dainty hands... her mind slightly confused.

_Why did Miko-san ask me such a question? I **have** been feeling oddly uneasy ever since waking up but…_ Hinata mused whilst removing the stains of her meal from her soiled hands.

All this while Miko, known for her worldly wisdom throughout the Hyuuga household, was observing her mistresses body language with keen interest. _I do wonder if she is just over-thinking things or if there's more than what meets the eye._

After a few minutes of silent observation the wise old dame decided to drop the topic and ushered her protégé out the front door of the manor.

"Bye Miko-san take care!" the rejuvenated girl said while stepping out of the doors archway.

"You too Hinata-sama. Say hello to your friends from my side."

Waving a polite goodbye to the woman she considered as her foster mother, Hinata stepped fully beyond the threshold and set a course for one of her most favoured training grounds.

_(Sigh) I do hope that whatever is bothering me today goes away soon. My training has **definitely** not been up to the mark lately._

Walking along at a relaxed pace, Hinata took in all of the early morning beauty, which surrounded her. _There must be some really pretty flowers around too. Maybe I can find some as a gift for Ino-san, she **loves** them_, the young woman thought cheerfully.

Searching here and there for the perfect bunch of flowers to present as a bouquet, Hinata finally found what she was looking for… a cluster of dazzling dandelions dancing gently in the morning breeze. _Perfect_, she grinned.

She then resumed her course for her training grounds...

* * *

><p>Skipping and then performing an aerial somersault, the indigo-haired maiden came to a halt once she reached her destination.<p>

Looking around and taking in every 'minute' detail of her surroundings, the girl assumed a stance and began her warm-up exercises…

"Ich… Nii… San…" Hinata chanted, as she got ready for some real working out.

Finally feeling warmed up, the young woman initiated her clans 'basic' taijutsu formation. _It's a good thing that Neji-niisan taught me these; they're really helpful early on_, she thought, grateful to her aloof cousin.

Using the fortified tree stump (used by all shinobi who wish to practice their taijutsu and close-range combat skills on a stationary opponent) as her target, she began with a barrage of quick melee strikes at all of the 'imaginary' chakra points of her 'opponent'.

_This is great but now I'll need to work on some **heavier** hits if I'm to improve._

Taking a much-needed breather... her thoughts were raging on despite her taking in some physical rest. _My current level is good but Neji-niisan can **still** beat me without much effort._

Acting on those demoralizing thoughts, Hinata landed a mighty blow and a razor-sharp swipe at the hapless piece of lumber. _Must... improve…!_ she egged herself on.

Being oblivious to her present surroundings managed to work against her as the distracted kunoichi was suddenly ambushed from behind by something.

Something familiar…

... something BIG!

"What the-!", Hinata whipped her head around just in time to see…

**WHAAAM!**

"..."

Looking over at the wreckage caused by the powerful (and familiar) jutsu from her safe perch upon a nearby branch, the young jounin frowned in contemplation as she tried to decipher as to where the intruder could be hiding. _Alright... now where are you hidin_g, she said while activating her trump card…

"Byakugan!"

Her clans 'Kekkei Genkai' provided her with an easy lock-on to her attacker and she landed in front of 'him' with a graceful leap.

Staring up at the culprit with dismay, Hinata straightened herself up and folded her arms indicating that she was waiting for an explanation. _Of all the times... why **now** niisan?_

Turning fully towards his target, the uninvited guest spoke up.

"Don't look at me that way Hinata-sama…"

The stoic attitude on display provided Hinata with the answer to her unasked query, "I did say that I would ambush you at the least opportune moments in order to-"

"I know that!" Hinata snapped back.

* * *

><p>The unexpected outburst momentarily silenced Neji as he wondered as to why his 'Head family' cousin was so edgy ("and annoyed…" he mentally added as an afterthought) all of a sudden. <em>Wonder if she is feeling well, it would be bad if I've invaded her privacy. Perhaps that's why she is acting so... off character<em>, he mentally added as a precaution.

Pushing the unnecessary debate out of his subconscious, the jounin male cleared his throat and decided to adopt a safer verbal route, "I sincerely apologize if I've caused you any sort of discomfort Hinata-sama. But what exactly seems to be bothering you today?"

A thin, raised eyebrow from his partner in the conversation didn't deter him from expressing his queries... "You seem to be slightly 'on edge' from what I gather…"

Replaying her older cousin's words over and over in her head, Hinata was at a loss for words.

At first she couldn't make out exactly **what** he had meant by the previous statement. _W-What does he mean by that? Just how have I been acting strangely?_

"I-I'm quite alright Neji-niisan. There's nothing bothering me at all..." Hinata spluttered out in haste.

Crossing his toned arms across his broad chest, the man let out a tiny snort. _Hmmm… it seems that she is unaware of her condition herself. I'd better get her mind cleared up before she goes and gets herself killed or worse._

Looking back up at his relative he added further, _Of course, being distracted during battle would never do her **any** good in the long run either._

Unfolding his appendages, the older Hyuuga got into his own battle stance and beckoned his cousin over and towards him... "All right Hinata-sama I will place my faith in your words for now but be warned-" he noticed a very visible twitch in his opponents body language at that, "-your present mental state will only cause your downfall in battle sooner rather than later."

Swallowing the ever-increasing lump in her throat, Hinata prepared herself for her cousin's first move... _I wonder what exactly Neji-niisan is getting at. I haven't... felt any different ever since I woke up today._

Unfortunately she had little time on hand to ponder over the matter because her cousin had already-

**THOP!**

A raised defensive block, mere inches from her face, managed to 'just keep' her cousin's ferocious attack at bay.

Giving him a slightly annoyed look at not giving her **any** signal as to when they would begin their bout, the Hyuuga heiress used her right arm to attack Neji's vulnerable left rib cage… _Here goes…_

**Tak! Thop! FWIP!**

A couple of parries later the young woman managed to find the perfect opening in her relative's almost 'impenetrable' defense and unleashed a quick 180 before slamming her fist into her target's sternum. _Gotcha!_, she inwardly cheered her accomplishment.

Coughing up a mouthful of blood, the male backed away whilst retracting his forward position… _Curses...!_

Clutching at his injury gingerly and judging the damaged caused by it in 'mere seconds', due to prior experience, Neji mentally cursed himself in annoyance. _Damn! I was completely careless against her advances._

Dodging another furious strike aimed at his temple by swerving around using his right heel for leverage, the powerful jounin mentally assessed his available options.

Unleashing a sudden leg sweep and having it avoided with equal ease, the youth let loose an irritated growl before leaping back by a few meters.

_(Pant) (Pant) Great! Just great…!_

It was plainly obvious that the female had improved in her close-combat skills by 'leaps and bounds' in a short amount of time.

* * *

><p><strong>An hour or so later...<strong>

With his breath coming out in short spurts of exertion, Neji looked over at the powerful kunoichi standing across from him and came to an immediate conclusion for his predicament.

_It seems that she's greatly worked up over something or other_, he thought analyzing his opponent's behaviour. _But I didn't realize that she had improved **this** much in such a short time period._

Letting a deep sigh escape his lungs, the youth swallowed a welcome gulp of air and straightened himself up. _It would be wise to retreat; I cannot afford to waste my time on an opponent who is just fighting using mere instinct and no plan of action._

With that settled, he turned around to quietly walk away from the immediate vicinity…

Seeing her cousin walk away so abruptly from their 'training' session, Hinata (to put it simply) was utterly dumbfounded...

"Wa-Wait! Niisan where are you-", she began.

But her queries were cut short when her cousin turned back to look at her in the eye and reply curtly, "I have some other important business to attend to Hinata-sama…"

Turning back to where he was headed he added as an afterthought, "You've improved greatly but I sense that there is still something blocking your senses at the moment. It would be wise to get rid of such an 'unwanted' hindrance as soon as possible."

Finishing with what had to be said; the proud Hyuuga leaped up and off into the leafy branches of a nearby canopy before his cousin could even voice her opinion on the matter...

"B-But... Niisan..."

_..._

An uncomfortable calm had begun to set in.

Like the serene silence right after a thunderstorm had passed… and in its midst a certain young woman pondered over her cousin's advice, over and over again until 'finally' she decided to think about it at another time.

_I-I don't know what to think… first he ambushes me out of nowhere, fights with me and **then** he just walks off as if nothing had happened!_

Hinata let out an exasperated sigh at her cousin's 'no-nonsense' attitude and, looking down at the mess she was in from their little scuffle, decided to take a quick shower in the nearby lake. _Well, at least he wasn't out to kill me this time..._ she thought, letting out a slight groan at her present mental condition.

Heading over to the body of crystal clear water, she began undressing herself…

Stepping out of her garb, she gave it a once over and found that it wasn't **as** ruffled as she had initially presumed.

Placing her garments on a safe branch... and 'away' from prying eyes, Hinata moved to check how the water was... _I do hope it's not too cold_, she thought whilst keeping her fingers crossed as she moved to dip her big toe in the pool of water.

Upon finding it to her liking she sighed with relief, _Perfect! I really need a good wash right now._

With that issue out of the way, the Hyuuga submerged herself in the pool and let a satisfied sigh escape her lips. _Mmmm… it's a good thing that it's only noon right now. I really would like to spend some time in here, its **sooo** warm…_

Her internal musings continued as she began washing herself using the lukewarm liquid around her, all the while humming a favourite tune of hers...

* * *

><p><strong>A few minutes later<strong>

"Ribbit! Ribbit!"

Popping her head up from the murky depths of the lake, the bathing beauty smiled at a nearby frog that had just made its presence known to her. Oddly enough, as most females in the village (_at least as far as I know_, she giggled to herself) were scared **silly** of the little critters.

Watching silently as it hopped over another lily-pad and into a vacant canopy of cattails, she resumed her peaceful soaking.

Looking back down and smiling at her now clean body, she swam her way over to the bank without so much as causing a false ripple in the body of water…

... such was the 'natural' grace that she had been blessed with.

_(Sigh) Okay, that should be enough. I feel much cleaner now._

With that, the indigo-haired maiden made her way out completely and reached for her drying cloth, which she had placed on a moss stone earlier.

_Hmm…_ Hinata wondered while drying her luscious dark locks with the cloth. _Maybe I should go over to Sakura-san and ask her about my condition._

Nodding to herself she added,_ Yes, that seems about right. She'll know **exactly** what to do._

Another thought popped up in her mind at that, _Oh my, it's been so long since we've met each other properly. I hope she isn't too mad about that._

Finishing off with her hair, the young woman finished dressing and readily proceeded to initiate her trek to one of the most well known places in the entire village…

… 'The Konoha Hospital'.

* * *

><p><strong>Somewhere along the streets of Konohagakure…<strong>

A lone figure was wandering around aimlessly with no visible hurry in his steps... and understandably so, considering the type of luck, which was being the bane of said persons existence at the moment. _Stupid medic-nins…_

In short, witnessing a gloomy Naruto Uzumaki pass them by **wasn't** a surprising sight at all for the residents of Konoha…

... or at least, to those who were witnesses to his 'predicament' the day previously.

_I've got the worst luck dattebayo…_ the blonde shinobi grumbled to himself, recalling an apparently 'recent' incident that had occurred between him and his childhood crush. _Whenever I try to do something nice for Sakura-chan, it always ends up with me getting the crap beaten out of myself_, he groaned in self-pity.

Letting loose an involuntary shiver as he was bombarded by the memory of a 'particularly' painful hit which was dealt to his gut yesterday, he sighed once more.

Recovering with surprising speed due to sheer force of habit, Naruto banished the imaginary pain from his mind and rubbed his stomach gingerly whilst trying (and failing) to forget about his **disastrous** attempt at trying to learn the basics of how to be a medic-nin.

_I just wanted to know how I could become a medic-nin like Sakura-chan-ttebayo_, the jounin pouted childishly. _It wasn't **my** fault that the stupid mice couldn't stay still for a simple dissection procedure…_

Not being literally aware of where he was heading, his inner ramblings were rudely interrupted as he managed to crash head first into one of the many stalls lining the sides of the busy village streets…

"Oof!"

"Hey, watch it Naruto!", an angry voice reverberated in the dazed male's eardrums.

Rubbing at his throbbing head, the jinchuuriki grunted in mild pain before apologizing profusely to the stall owner. _Could my luck possibly get any worse today?_ he asked to no one in particular before resuming his journey over to his primary destination...

... this time making sure to keep his eyes **and** ears open to all around him.

_That one punch cost me my lunch too_, Naruto inwardly sobbed as he recalled having to spend the remainder of the night without any ramen.

Reaffirming his resolve to 'make it or break it' with the object of his affections, the young man found new life in his steps as he marched forward with confident strides... _I'd better hurry..._

He soon added another mental 'reminder' as an afterthought, _She'll be off duty soon._

* * *

><p><strong>Meanwhile… back with a certain pale-skinned heiress<strong>

_It's been so long since I last saw Sakura-san in person_, thought the lilac-eyed kunoichi in amazement, thinking back to the last time that she had met the temperamental pinkette. _She'll probably be surprised when she sees me after such a long time_, she added with a sad smile.

Putting her finger on her chin and trying to come up with a viable solution, Hinata suddenly snapped her fingers in triumph.

_Yes! That's it, all I've got to do is tell her that I was ill and couldn't train or move around very much. She's **bound** to understand then why I couldn't see her more often._

Having settled **that** minor issue (but still feeling grossly unsure of the validity of the excuse), the rejuvenated female headed on over to the hospital thinking about all the... 'wonderful' things that they would get to chat about.

_Things will definitely go well with Sakura-san. I hope…_

* * *

><p><strong>Konoha Hospital, 3rd Floor: Ward 7<strong>

**CRASH!**

The scene was enough to drive the five young women to the farthest corner of the room, cowering in fear. _O-Ooh! Sh-She's angry again!_

She couldn't believe the sheer **nerve** of that man…

Neither could any of the shivering nurses believe that she was capable of yelling with such a shrill tone.

"Honestly! Who in their right mind attempts to **dissect** a creature that hasn't even been given a dose of anesthetic first?" Sakura Haruno, the head doctor at the hospital and senior figure for all who were employed there, fumed with annoyance at the actions of a certain ramen-loving shinobi. _Idiot…_

Removing her chalky white coat and settling down in her comfy chair, the emerald-eyed woman pinched the bridge of her nose... willing herself to calm down. _As if that would help me a great deal_, she muttered, sarcasm dripping off of every word.

Dismissing the shivering young women who were her close assistants for many of her more 'complex' medical cases, the pinkette threw her head back and let out an exasperated sigh. _I didn't mean to scare the living daylights out of them._

Closing her eyes she tried to steady her agitated nerves lest she exploded again... _Grrr… I really **should** go for some sort of therapy; that baka Naruto will be the death of me otherwise._

Lifting her hot cuppa to her lips and taking a careful sip, the medic-nin summoned her PA... to inquire about any recent appointments, which she might need to respond to.

Her PA, a young girl in her late teens with flowing auburn hair, knocked and entered. Once inside she shuffled some papers in her small hands and said, "N-No ma'am, at the moment there are no important appointments that I know of."

She said all this in a rather timid fashion, obviously feeling intimidated considering her boss's reputation (**especially** amongst the village males) in the Hidden Leaf.

"Hmmm…" Sakura leaned forward placing her elbows on the desk with her fingers interlocked... "Okay, thank you Kagome. You may leave." Her PA bowed quickly and left the 'well-furnished' office in haste to get back to her other secretarial duties.

Watching her office door close itself behind the docile young girl, Sakura let a heavy sigh escape her lips… _Phew! Finally, a much-needed break…_

Looking at the clock adorning her whitewashed wall, she mentally added, _Well I hope that idiot is still at his 'precious' ramen stand. I'd love to have a word with him about this pickle he's left me in_, Sakura thought with a hint of malice... indicating the wrath that the unfortunate soul would soon find himself under…

Just then she sensed a **very** familiar presence approaching her current location.

Applying her optimum focus on said person's chakra (an advanced skill she had acquired from her teacher and sensei, the Godaime Hokage), she widened her eyes in surprise... "Well, well. I haven't seen **her** in quite a long time."

Getting up and straightening out her disheveled robe, the sturdy kunoichi readied herself for the meeting with her unexpected 'guest'. _It's been 'some time' since she's been around. I wonder how she's been these past months…_

Rubbing the back of her neck with uncharacteristic nervousness, Sakura thought it wise to play it safe and go for the old-fashioned route of asking general questions instead of acting too aloof… _Especially with someone like Hinata. She's such a dear friend, I **wouldn't** want to make her feel unwelcome if I could help it._

Casting a glance outside her polished office window, the young medic-nin let a smile grace her lips as she saw her old comrade enter through the gates to the esteemed hospital…

* * *

><p><strong>Outside Konoha Hospital...<strong>

Walking with a spring in her step, Hinata felt goosebumps once she entered the perimeters of the grand building, which represented a different side of the village to the other nations and various other travelers.

Said hospital acted as a **boon** for aspiring medic ninja of the Hidden Leaf, so much so that it had been officially granted the 'prestigious' honour of being a teaching centre for young, upcoming medic-nin…

_A place, where they could practice their skills with utmost freedom... _The heartfelt words coming out of her made Hinata sigh fondly as she kept her gaze 'fixated' on the impressive structure.

Thinking back on her days of being guided as a young kunoichi under Tsunade, the purple-haired woman thought, _How long has it been since I did my training here. It feels that I had left his haven to pursue my advanced jyuuken training only yesterday. But…_ she recollected with a smile, looking up at the sign of 'KONOHA HOSPITAL'.

_... nothing has changed it seems…_

Walking past the old gateway, she placed her slender fingers along its top. _It really feels as if I had never even left._

She looked up again at the name of the landmark structure and thought; _I do hope Sakura-san is doing well…_

Shaking her head to cleanse her mind of such doubtful thoughts, Hinata continued on towards the main entrance. _Well, whatever the case may be. I'm just **glad** that I came back here._

Reaching up to the door, which separated her from her destination, she turned its knob completely and stepped through... _Even if it's for something as simple as this._

* * *

><p><strong>Back in the 3rd Floor of the building<strong>

Rubbing her surprisingly shivering hands together in anticipation, Sakura paced around her office with bated breath. Sparing a look at her door she suddenly stopped her steps and bonked herself over the head... _What am **I** getting so worked up about?_

Stuffing her hands in her coat pockets she leaned back on her desk and stared up at the ceiling. _Maybe I'm being too paranoid, I mean it's not like she's gonna berate me or anything. Hinata's not like that…_

Letting her eyelids droop to calm down her unsteady nerves, the pinkette let herself drown in the darkness of her vision.

Hinata slowed down her pace as she approached her old friend's office door.

Running a shaky hand through her lush purple locks, she sucked in a deep breath of reassurance as she reached out to touch the piece of polished mahogany, which acted as the barrier between her and her quarry.

_Well here goes nothing…_ and with that she raised her pale hand to knock on the furnished wooden door.

**Knock! Knock!**

Sakura's gaze shot towards her door as she mentally prepared herself for the inevitable reunion with her fellow kunoichi.

Groaning inaudibly at the aftereffect of snapping her neck so abruptly towards her guests' entryway, she made her way over to open her office door. _All right Sakura... come on. You can do this. Hell Yeah!_

Her mental pep talk did **little** to help her current situation though as she stood facing her door with anxiety running through her entire system. _It's not like I'm getting married or something for Kami's sake!_ she inwardly berated herself for her ridiculous fear.

Outside poor Hinata was literally shaking with nervous agitation and not feeling ready 'at all' to face her friend after such a lengthy time period. _O-Oh… I do hope this goes well…_

A simple turn of the knob and there she stood facing her pink-haired comrade in all her (_Pink!_ she managed to giggle to herself despite her shaky state) glory.

It seemed that her contemporary was 'just as surprised' as she was… at least judging by the expression she had chosen to wear on her face at that point in time.

"H-Hello Sakura-san! Long time no see huh?" a very nervous Hinata managed to stutter out; voice obviously shaky due to her nervousness.

_Wow!_ thought the pinkette. _She's more on edge than I am..._ she noted with a hint of amusement at her compatriots' predicament. _Hope she doesn't collapse from the pressure though, Hehe…!_

"Y-Yeah, hi there Hinata," she began to raise her hand for her friend to shake.

"Where've you been for so long? I didn't hear from you since the time Naruto fought with Madara..." the pinkette beamed, hoping to start off on a light note. On the contrary, she noticed a slight 'change' in the former's eyes when she brought up that... 'not-so-happy' memory.

_Of course how could I ever forget…_ Hinata recalled with discomfort. _Poor Naruto-kun was nearly **killed** that time, but seeing as Sakura-san has been able to put it behind her… perhaps I should follow suit and do the same._

Gathering herself, she managed to put on her best smile and responded to the emerald-eyed kunoichi's previous query, "Um… yes. Th-That's right Sakura-san. I-It **has** been that long hasn't it?"

Grasping the offered hand with her dainty fingers, Hinata returned the greeting.

Mentally bemused with the ongoing situation, Sakura took a while to process all of the spoken information in her (at the moment 'not-so-sharp') mind. Once she had done so, she replied, "You bet Hina, now are you gonna tell me what you've been upto or what?"

The last part was dragged out by the crafty woman in a playful tone.

Before her flustered guest could offer a reasonable answer however, the medic grabbed the pale hand and led a startled Hinata into her office.

* * *

><p>Once she had her shy comrade seated and comfortable, Sakura took her place behind her wooden desk and spoke, "Okay, I hope that you're comfy in that dingy old chair Hinata cuz it's the only one I've got..." she then scratched her cheek sheepishly as her friend let out a tiny laugh.<p>

Clearing her throat in order to adopt a more serious demeanor, the green-eyed woman continued, "Now then, what's brought you to me after all this time Hinata?" _And I hope you've got a good reason too_, she mentally added.

The Hyuuga female sucked in a deep breath and began to speak... _Well h-here goes nothing…_

Fidgeting slightly in her seated position, she took in 'another' deep breath before replying, "We-ell you see Sakura-san that is…"

The woman fumbled slightly before becoming able to form a coherent sentence, "Ano... I'm sorry for coming to yo-your office out of the blue but you see…" She tightened her fingers around her knees in hesitation until her knuckles turned 'white' due to the intense pressure.

Sakura raised her eyebrows in mild interest but decided to play it safe and remain patient.

Once the troubled female had managed to calm herself down a notch, she raised her head up with complete determination showing in her angelic features and continued, "You see Sakura-san I-I have been unable to focus on my training as of late."

Waiting for the piece of information to sink in she nodded when Sakura beckoned for her to continue... "Also m-my attention on even the 'littlest' of things has been rather…"

Hinata swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat, "… rather weak Sakura-san. Neji-niisan suggested that I do something about this odd condition of mine sooner rather than later. That's why-"

Her narration had to be 'abruptly' halted as she found a raised hand placed just inches from her face.

_This... just might be interesting._

Retracting her hand and putting on an understanding smile, Sakura got up from her perch and walked around over to her 'patient.' _Now then, I've got to probe deeper into your more recent activities if I'm to be of any help at all to you Hina._

"Well I'm certainly glad that you chose to come over to me right-away Hinata..." Pulling a nearby stool in between them, she eased herself down on it, "Now the question is, how we go about getting you all better."

She received a pleasant smile in return for her genuine concern towards her introverted friend.

Adopting a more serious tone, the former stood up and walked over to her office window before peering outside it; mind working overtime as 'various' theories ran around in circles within its confines. _Hmmm..._

All this while Hinata sat on her perch, obediently waiting for her benefactor's diagnosis…

Straightening out her lab coat, the medic-nin proceeded to ask her patient her usual (mandatory) questions...

"So tell me Hinata, did you consume anything 'untoward' lately?" A shake of the head was all that the young woman received in response.

Stroking her chin in deep thought, while trying to come up with another query, she probed further, "Well what about any liquids, if not that did you engage yourself in any activity that could have possibly used up a lot of your chakra reserves?"

Hinata answered with a quiet, "N-No. Not that I know of." _Oh dear d-did I unknowingly do something harmful while training? _Thoughts of dread plagued her mind but were quickly abandoned when the sharp voice of Sakura penetrated her subconscious.

* * *

><p>"Are you <strong>absolutely<strong> sure Hina?"

Another solemn nod in response did little to satiate Sakura's hunger to uncover the truth behind her patient's condition. _I **know** I'm overlooking something here but what?_

Pinching the bridge of nose in order to come up with the answer in her typical willful fashion, the accomplished medic ventured into the 'deepest recesses' of her medical knowledge… all to seek out the most viable answer for the current problem which she faced.

As the indigo-haired maiden merely sat and watched her every move.

Fear and large bouts of anxiety crept up in the Hyuuga's heart as she remained seated; body rigid with paranoia. _Please d-don't tell me it's something life threatening Sakura-san…_

After what seemed like an eternity, Sakura let out a (loud) yell of joy... "THAT'S IT!"

... making the **already** anxious woman in front of her jump in panic.

Upon recalling her present surroundings, the pinkette clamped her hand over her mouth and blushed red with embarrassment. _Guess I should be more careful when I start to zone out, Hehe..._

Pulling herself together, she gave her patient a beaming grin and narrated to her what she had uncovered via her internal musings… "Hinata!"

Said female was trying to steady her breathing but shot her head up almost instantly upon hearing her name called.

Sakura's 'victorious' grin never **once** left her face as she ploughed on, "I think that whatever has been bothering you lately has a lot to do with what your more 'recent' experiences. Care to fill me in about any of those Hinata?"

Seating herself opposite her fellow kunoichi with an unusual show of eagerness, the medic waited with baited breath for what she would hear from her friend... _If it's something juicy to gossip about then poor Ino-pig's gonna have some **serious** competition. Cha!_ the infamous Inner Sakura chanted enthusiastically in spite of the job at hand.

Realizing that she would have to share with her friend all of those wonderful things that had occurred with her the day prior, Hinata blushed a bright red and fidgeted uncomfortably in her seat. _What do I tell her? Oh... i-it would be so embarrassing!_

Deciding to be brave about it (_I'm a twenty year old kunoichi for Kami's sake!_), Hinata sucked in a reassuring gulp of air before replaying all of those events, that had occurred yesterday, to her doctor in verbal form…

* * *

><p><strong>A few minutes later…<strong>

Sakura let out a low whistle at what she had just heard... "You've... **got** to be pulling my leg here Hinata."

When her friend's expression showed no signs of falsehood, she threw back her head and literally 'laughed out loud'... "HAHAHA! Oh H-Hinata… you can't b-be serious!"

The helpless woman clutched her sides in sheer mirth as her fair-complexioned friend crossed her arms across her chest and let out an unamused pout at the 'so-called' mature Sakura Haruno's actions.

"Really Sakura-san! I-It's not that funny or humorous."

Her disapproving tone easily brought the poor medic-nin out from the bowels of her snorts and chuckles... _O-Oh boy! I'm sure I'll get a stroke if I'm not careful!_

Drowning out the last of her giggles and sucking in a much needed breath of air, Sakura sported an apologetic expression and asked for her friend's pardon.

"Look Hinata I'm sorry, I really am but it's just so…" she waved her hands above her head for more emphasis, "… so odd to hear about **Kiba** of all people using such chivalrous gimmicks on you."

Hinata looked at her in slight surprise and voiced her question out loud, "So you think th-that whatever has been bothering me has to be traced back to what Kiba-kun did for me?"

Nodding her head with her arms crossed, the pink-haired woman silently gave her patient her token of approval, "Yep! I'm sure of it… and before you get started on something else let me tell you Hina that this is just a 'simple case' of you being…"

She took the latter's soft hand into her own, and while maintaining gentle eye-contact, continued, "… shaken, for lack of a better word, by your teammate's uncharacteristic behaviour."

Still keeping a firm hold over her friend's palm, she continued further, "But it's definitely not something to lose sleep over alright? You just need to accept this 'change' and move forward Hinata."

Softening her tone ever so slightly, she continued, "You may not have thought it a big deal at the time but..." Clearing her throat, she whispered out, "... such things often have a late effect on people… especially on those who are emotionally 'fragile'."

The indigo-haired woman absorbed all of the suggested advice given by her friend and let out a grateful smile, "Th-Thank you Sakura-san. You've been a great help to me."

Sighing with relief and satisfaction at **finally** having discovered as to what had been bothering her since morning, Hinata rose to leave…

As she reached the office door, a lone voice called out to her, "Hey Hinata!"

Turning back and still being in possession of a cheery smile, the female asked, "Yes Sakura-san?"

Giving her 'purple patient' a thumbs-up sign was all that she felt was sufficient at that moment in time... "Take care of yourself and be **sure** to remain in touch from now on, kay?"

Grinning at her good friend's positive attitude, Hinata bid her goodbye and excused herself from her domain…

"Arigato once again Sakura-san..."

...

Sakura waved at the pale-skinned girl from her office window until she was well out of sight... _Hope that helps her get over it soon. Honestly! Kiba and flowers? Ha-ha…!_

Removing herself from her window, the pinkette let out a tired yawn and promptly cracked her sore knuckles… _Phew! What a day… _Trudging back towards her desk and slumping in her chair she continued her musings, _… it's been… what a day._

Dabbing at her brow with a damp napkin, and leaning back in her seated position, the woman let the sweet embrace of sleep engulf her vulnerable form…

... until…

**CRASH!**

* * *

><p>The unhealthy sound awoke her from the confines of her little 'nap' and the hot-tempered kunoichi scrambled over her long coat whilst trying in earnest to reach towards and <strong>nab<strong> the intruder on the spot. _Whoever's been dumb enough to not only barge into my office but also wake me from some well-deserved sleep is in for the **pounding** of a lifetime!_ she mentally roared.

Finding her footing was finally a reality as the furious female managed to get a glimpse of her so-called 'intruder'.

What she managed to 'end up with' however… _Oh no! NO!_ she mentally screamed in agony. _Not now please! Just when I was getting some rest after a hectic day…!_

The one responsible for her internal torture turned towards his 'executioner' and heaved a deep sigh of relief; a droplet of cold sweat trickling down his temple. "(Phew!) I thought that you would **really** kill me this time dattebayo!"

The all too familiar speech defect was like the sound of 'death bells' ringing as far as the pink-haired kunoichi was concerned.

Walking back towards her desk and leaning against it with her arms crossed, Sakura asked, "Just what do you think you're doing here Naruto! Do you have **any** idea how much that vase was worth?"

Looking behind him at the mess he had made, Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "Uh… s-sorry about that Sakura-chan but I just really had to see you today."

Letting out the breath that she didn't know she had been holding, the woman beckoned him to take the seat that was just 'minutes' ago occupied by Hinata. Once he had taken his position, she gestured for him to continue... _Not that I'd **need** to tell him to, he does what he wants to do without anyone telling him to anyways…_ she groaned to herself.

Shifting his right foot behind him uncomfortably, Naruto began, "We-ell you see Sakura-chan that is… etto..."

Seeing the man who, at one point in time, used to be the most overconfident and boisterous shinobi in the entire village (_If not the entire world..._ she added as an afterthought) acting hesitant was like witnessing Choji 'refuse' lunch (_As if **that** would ever be a reality..._).

Getting impatient with his mumblings, Sakura's temper finally flared and shot right through the roof…

"FOR KAMI'S SAKE, **OUT** WITH IT NARUTO!"

In his present (nervous) state of mind, the impatient yell from his crush managed to get him to forget his better judgment and, jumping up from his perch, the jinchuuriki 'unceremoniously' blurted out his request to the former, "Willyougooutonadatewithme sakura-chan?"

"…?"

Opening his eyes that had been shut tight from the immense emotional pressure he had been feeling due to the heat of the moment, Naruto risked looking at his teammate's reaction to his proposal…

_Di-Did he just ask what I **think** he asked?_ an utterly spellbound and stunned Sakura questioned herself... but without any luck.

"W-What did you just say Naruto?" she managed to squeak out between the thundering beats of her heart and the sounds that floated in from the open window…

Smiling in relief at his situation, Naruto squared his chest and (clearing his throat for better effect) repeated his offer; "I said... will you go out with me for a date today Sakura-chan?"

Staring at his lopsided (_And handsome… wait what am I thinking!_ she berated herself, _Am I falling for Naruto of all people?_) smile, Sakura regained her bearings and flushed pink at her situation. _This is getting out of hand… and fast!_ she thought; deep frown appearing on her brow.

Meanwhile her ramen-loving associate was almost **jubilant** with excitement... _Oh Kami! W-Will she say yes? Oh please PLEASE do Sakura-chan! I promise that you **won't** regret it._

Luckily enough, the hyperactive male managed to hold his rampant feelings together in order to receive her concrete answer. _Just one chance Sakura-chaaan! _

The medic gazed up at her old friend from beneath her dark lashes and parted her lips to state her answer in a whisper, "N-Naruto…"

* * *

><p>The poor bloke found himself entranced and almost 'glued' to the spot… quite unable to form even a coherent thought at that point... <em>H-Here it comes dattebayo…!<em> Konoha's eternal hero thought with barely restrained glee, planning on giving away 'free sweets' around the whole village once he had received the green signal from his ladylove…

_..._

But how right was he before...

... in believing that his luck was at its **worst** stage that day. "… S-Sakura-chan?"

* * *

><p>From outside the hospital a veeery familiar voice could be heard resonating throughout the village of Konohagakure…<p>

"NARUTO! YOU BRAINLESS **TWIT** I'M GONNA...!"

"N-NO Sakura-chan th-that's made of glass-ttebayo! HELP, HEEELLLPPPP!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: There! Finally done (wipes brow with soggy hanky)…<strong>

**Now then, Reviews are MORE than welcome so please, please, PLEASE 'Read & Rate' folks.**

**About the poll, well it's been deleted but not to worry I'll put up a new one soon =D Just make sure to VOTE too!**

**Until next time guys, Best wishes for your families for the New Year…**

**Chow! XD**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter V: Closer than before…?

(Part 1)

**Disclaimer: Don't own this wonderful manga/TV series and never hope to either. ;P**

**AN: Hey there people! How's life? This chappie marks the 'return of Kiba' (YAHOOO!) to the playing field aaand the introduction of a few 'other' characters!**

**Well that's all for now, enjoy 'n' sorry for the delay…!**

* * *

><p>Sweat formed on his brow as a young jounin performed the last few sets of his push-ups for the day. <em>Juuust another five… another four… another…<em>

As he finished with his last spurt of exertion, the brown-haired male let loose a burdened grunt before collapsing on the matted grass beneath him in exhaustion. _Damn… that really felt good…_

"Phew!" he wheezed, observing how his labored breath blew the grass beside his head. _Yep..._

"Oh man, was that pushing it to the limit or what?" the dog-nin muttered to no one in particular while hoisting himself onto his wobbly feet. Once up he dusted his rough hands off on his pants and looked over at his dozing partner. One 'look' at the snoring animal was enough to make him sigh good-naturedly... _Seems like the old boy isn't up for another round just yet._

Stuffing his hands into his pant pockets, Kiba glanced up at the bright, afternoon sun and heaved another deep sigh. _I just hope he wakes up soon. I haven't had **anything** to eat since last night,_ he promptly removed his hand and rubbed at his stomach. A low growl from the depths of his belly confirmed his claim and he merely grinned at his hopeless situation.

Looking back at a now yawning and stretching Akamaru, the former beckoned him over and went to get something from his pocket.

The drowsy ninken wobbled over to his master and friend without much complain and barked half-heartedly, "Arf! Arf!"

Finally finding what he was looking for, Kiba bent down and offered his pal the rewarding treat and watched the K-9's face brighten up considerably. _Heh, wagging his little tail already? That's a good sign… he's finally ready for some **real** action._

The hungry dog lunged forward to gobble down the offered snack without waiting for an invitation from his master's end.

"Wow! You were hungrier than me huh boy?" the man observed, scratching the soft fur on the dog's neck.

"Woof!", his companion replied with equal enthusiasm.

Chuckling at his actions, Kiba straightened up and asked him, "Sooo… where to **now** Akamaru? Home?"

His K-9 companion nodded his furry head vigorously and began his energetic trot along the gravelly path that would lead them back to the village proper. _That Akamaru, he's **obviously** hungrier than I am, Hehe!_ the Inuzuka couldn't help but chuckle.

Fastening his hitai-ate firmly around his forehead, Kiba joined the ninken with fast strides of his own and soon both of them were speeding towards the village at top speed.

Thinking back on his empty gut and his low chakra reserves, the brunette resumed his musings...

_Not exactly my idea of working up an appetite but hell… I'm up for **anything** as long we reach home…_ the wild-haired youth plastered a **manic** grin onto his face before leaving his hapless pal in the dust… literally!

...

Along the way, he thought back on the events of the past few hours of their training session and smiled…

* * *

><p><strong>Flashback<strong>

_"Oi! Akamaru watch it!", Kiba yelled at his teammate whilst barely avoiding the vicious slash aimed for his face ("Damn he's serious today!" he thought with slight amusement). Back flipping a few metres away from his training partner, he prepared his own jutsu with only one motive in mind… to get a solid hit in **without** falling prey to Akamaru's savage fangs._

_"Alright here goes Akamaru!" Kiba rushed forward, his claws bared._

_The large dog complied with a deep growl and pounced on his cornered friend with his huge maw open…_

_… to his grave misjudgment…_

_("Gotcha!") The dog-nin side-stepped the attempted strike with little trouble and swung out an enlarged claw at the side of the animal._

_Akamaru howled in pain and swung around with full force, managing to knock his familiar completely off of his feet. "Shit…"_

_Kiba's curse was short-lived however as he felt a painful sensation creep up all along his defenseless arm and the agony ended with him letting out a **howl** of pain himself... "YOW! Damn…!"_

_The animal suddenly yelped out and let his opponent's arm loose… ("Heh, works every time.")_

_Elbowing the creature's side and freeing his appendage was a move that managed to pay off for the Inuzuka in the end. He promptly leaped backwards by a few feet and prepared his devastating jutsu…_

_The ninken barely had any time to react… to his friend's familiar but **improved** technique._

_"TSUGAAAA!"_

_The whirlwind of slashing claws and fangs was enough to knock the large animal right off its feet and into the generated vortex of spinning blade-like claws of his partner…_

_"..."_

_Winding his jutsu down, the dog-nin saw the creature crash heavily a few feet away from his landing spot. ("Heh, good thing that I was holding back there…" he sighed with relief when he saw the condition his pal was in)_

_"Hey Akamaru, you okay boy?" His pet just whined in response and struggled to stand. After a few tries however, he succeeded and wagged his thick tail in victory._

_Grinning at his teammate's antics, Kiba patted his head and told him to take a break while he did some stretches and push-ups._

_"We did alright today didn't we Akamaru?" he inquired before beginning his sets._

_"Woof!" his companion barked in agreement while licking his own bruises._

_The man merely smiled at that ("Awesome! His stamina and endurance just keeps on increasing! It's more than I **ever** imagined it to be!") and began… "Yosha! Lets do this… Ich… Nii… San…"_

**End Flashback**

* * *

><p>Coming back from the recesses of his recent memory, Kiba realized that they had <strong>already<strong> reached their intended destination.

He slowed down to a complete halt and stared down at the back of his sandals for any... 'tears' in the heels. _Whew! That was quite a long way we ran from back there. _Once satisfied, he cracked his sore knuckles to loosen his wrists; confident smirk present on his tattooed face. _Hehe, but as always... **I'm** the one with the gold here!_

Looking behind him and expecting to see his partner miles away, he got a rude shock when he saw the large animal sitting comfortably on the boulder... mere 'metres' to his right.

"Wha-?" _H-How did he-?_ Kiba wondered in mute shock. _I'm **sure** I left him behind when I set off on that burst._

"Woof!" the large dog barked in excitement earning a half-hearted glare from his master. _Sorry Kiba, better luck next time!_

Deciding to let the issue go before it caused him to lose any sleep over it, the Inuzuka stepped through the threshold of his small but 'cozy' home leaving the white ninken to his own devices…

"Tadaimasu…!" he called out, aiming to alert the other member's of his household to his 'presence'...

The poor male was readily greeted in return with a face full of stars as his entire weight collapsed onto the hard ground with a resounding thump. He could only moan (and whimper) out his pain in the state he was in right then, "… Ouch…" _What... the... fuck?!_

Looming over his vulnerable form was none other than the Inuzuka matriarch, Tsume Inuzuka… her 'ridiculously' large frying pan in hand and at the ready... "Where've you been for the last 4 hours Kiba?" she roared in his sensitive ears with an echoing shriek before hoisting him up by his collar and shaking him silly until his brain literally 'shook' within his skull.

"Do you know how worried I've been since morning? First you leave without telling anyone and then you've got the **nerve** to come back here expecting a free meal?" she growled with undisguised malice flowing out of her lips.

Barely able to focus thanks to his blurred vision, poor Kiba tried his level best to form a coherent reply...

... but failed miserably... "BuUT… mo-om… I… deedn't… wa-ANT… tooo… disturb… you're… sleEEP!" _For Kami's sake put me down already!_ he inwardly groaned, finding himself unable to even **speak** anything out in his defense.

Hearing his desperate plea, Tsume dropped him and watched his body crash into a heap before pulling him back up by the ear and dragging him into the kitchen.

"Ow-OW! Mom! What are you doin'?!" Kiba wailed out like a 5-year old, wincing at her **iron** grip that was clutched around his tender flesh.

Glaring in the direction of her only son the woman snapped, "Getting you you're lunch, whaddaya think...?!"

Letting out a small sigh, the male obediently sat down at the four-seater table and laid his eyes onto the meal present before him. _Oh wow! Th-This is..._

Mouth watering smells wafted up his sensitive nose and he licked his lips in hunger... proceeding to the handy act of **devouring** the well-roasted steak and onion soup that his mother had placed before him.

Crossing her powerful arms around her chest, the intimidating woman stared at the look on her boy's face as he swallowed a large bit of his food. "How is it?" she asked in an even tone.

Glancing at her from the corner of his eye, Kiba thought it wise to play safe and simply gave her an honest answer; right hands' fingers remaining crossed, **out** of her field of vision. _Great Kami protect my poor soul…!_

"Well… uh… it's great mom..." Thinking quickly he added as an afterthought, "... as usual..." with a small grin.

* * *

><p>Tsume turned a slight pink at the compliment and smacked her son gently upside the head... almost making him slam his whole face onto his unfinished plate. <em>Woe...<em> he thought to himself, his nose and lips thoroughly drenched in his soup's contents... _is me..._

"I'm sorry... for being so hard on you Kiba…" she suddenly sighed out in a sad tone, her tone going low, "... but it's so... **hard** to have to watch you grow up and be your own person." The woman then grabbed onto the chair next to her and squeezed its top until her knuckles turned white due to the applied strain.

"I-I miss those times when you would get up in the mornings and... come running down to the breakfast that I would make for you..." By now, tiny droplets had managed to break through her thick lashes and were steadily dripping onto the plain tablecloth; face slightly hidden away by her dark hair.

Amazement and sheer perplexity at the 'softened' (and pretty much 'feminine') attitude on display in front of him, from his own tough mother no less, made something inside him immediately stir into action.

"M-Mom? Heeey, don't cry okay?" Kiba consoled her softly and got up to give his parent a tender yet firm hug from behind... one of understanding and reassurance. "I'm... not going anywhere."

She turned to look at his face, finding an identical pair of slitted pupils staring back at her... "You **know** that."

A nod was all he received in response.

"And besides-" he motored on while his mother kept staring into his honest eyes, "-I guess that you're stuck with me for a long, **long** time cuz I'm never..." A broad grin grew on his face as she smiled back hesitantly.

"... **ever** leaving this house!"

His comment managed to get an uncharacteristic giggle out of the woman, prompting her to gently slap him on his chest in mirth. _I knew that you would say that... Kiba_, she inwardly sighed with silent joy.

Recovering from her humorous fit, Tsume suddenly had a brainwave and literally 'pounced' on the opportunity to embarrass her loyal son immediately. _Hehe!_

"You know Kiba, I've been thinking…"

Her son looked down at her with a raised eyebrow, obviously expecting the worst... by sheer force of habit. _Oh boy, I don't like that tone of hers…_

His mother only ploughed on, "… if you plan on staying here with me even 'after' Hana leaves, then wouldn't I be needing a helping hand around the house?"

Kiba scratched the back of his head, going over his mother's query over and over… _She's obviously 'onto' something here but what?_

Deciding to just provide her with an answer and get it done with he replied, "Well… hmm… I... **guess** you can say that Mom, so?"

Barely being able to conceal her toothy grin from her unsuspecting son, Tsume decided to cut to the chase. Placing a firm hand on his shoulder she declared with an air of authority, "Actually Kiba... it doesn't concern me as much as it concerns you."

Judging from his blank stare she felt it wise to clarify the issue further to the oblivious male... "What I mean to say is that you're of 'marriageable' age and need to tie the knot sooner, rather than later…"

"…?!"

"Hm? Kiba?"

**SLAM!**

* * *

><p>The vibrations of their back door being slammed with 'that much force' could be felt by her for several seconds after it had already been shut...<p>

"Well, he handled that better than I thought," Tsume mused to herself with a secret smile. _It's for the kids own good anyway and I think I know **exactly** whom he might have in mind if he ever decides to agree._

Snickering to herself, she went to wash off her 'favourite' pup's dirty plate... her mind 'already' imagining the faces of her future grandchildren... _Hehe, I just can't **wait** until he brings her home...!_

* * *

><p><strong>Meanwhile in the busy streets of Konoha…<strong>

A wave of midnight blue locks differentiated a certain figure from all others around it in the crowded streets of the Hidden Leaf village. Also, it was by sheer 'coincidence' that said individual had ended up here; fact was, she had absolutely **no** idea what else to be doing to be honest.

_That visit to Sakura-san really helped me get myself sorted out but I'm **still** feeling so… so restless!_ Hinata thought to herself, recalling the visit that she had paid to her 'medic' friend earlier in the day.

Upon reaching the Hokage's office building, she froze in her tracks and found shock seep into her system. _Wait a second…!_

Pondering over the idea for a few minutes gave her the very answer that she had been seeking ever since she had found herself without anything to do... in a matter of seconds. _Yes! Why not? I'm a shinobi for Kami's sake and a jounin at that! I should be undertaking A-Rank missions right about now!_

Bonking herself lightly upside her head, she giggled in embarrassment... _Honestly, how could I be so clueless? _The Hyuuga female then made her way over to the massive Hokage Monument and looked up at the magnificent structure, grinning widely.

_I do hope that Tsunade-sama has some spare assignments left over… right now **anything** will be good enough!_

Happy with her choice, she raced up the steps towards the Godaime Hokage's office floor… face seemingly brighter than before.

* * *

><p><strong>Back with a certain 'runaway' son<strong>

With hands buried deep within his pant pockets, Kiba trudged along the gravelly path with only thoughts of dread running across his mind... _I can't believe she had been planning that **crap** since morning!_ he snorted in contempt. Calming himself down he pondered further, _Come to think of it, it isn't all that bad an idea... especially if it's a matter of a girl that she would actually **like** to have around the house._

His internal debate eventually led him to 'Konoha Park', a leisure spot mainly used by the civilians of the village to unwind after a long days work and duties. The dog-nin made his way over to its main entrance and peeked in through the metal bars.

Looking to his left he noticed a few couples sitting on the various benches that stretched all across the park. _I still don't understand why normal folks have it so easy with something like this. It's like they are completely different when compared to us. We, shinobi, the guys who **actually** save their asses every time something goes wrong in the village..._

Removing his gaze from the scene of affectionate courtship as if witnessing something 'distasteful', the lonely young jounin walked on and along the way decided to pay a visit to someone who could help him... unwind a little.

_Hmm, who would be **really** busy at this time of day?_ Kiba wondered; hand scratching at his well-shaven chin...

Fortunately, he did not have to think twice to come up with a 'viable' solution… because it almost struck him like a 'whiplash'... _Oh yeah! That proud Hyuuga bastard would be practicing his jyuuken right about now!_

Letting a feral grin, akin to a wild predator, spread across his tanned features, Kiba raced off to find his target. _If I can catch him while he's doin' it, I might be able to squeeze a little 'match' out of him, Hehe! _"Anything to let off some good steam…" he added in a lighter tone.

With that settled, the rejuvenated Inuzuka shifted gears and left only scattered leaves in his wake as he carved a path right through the woods…

... indicating to any passersby that he had 'passed' through there.

* * *

><p><strong>The Hokage's Office, Konohagakure...<strong>

Scores of files were stacked one upon the other as the kimono-clad woman heaved yet another set of records onto the mahogany table before wiping her brow and stepping back to 'admire' her work. _I just hope the old minx doesn't freak out or get a stroke seeing the amount of paperwork that she has waiting for her..._ she smirked in slight satisfaction at a job well done.

"Oink! Oink!" A light tug at her garb brought her attention back to the task at hand.

Bending down to pick up her pet pig with a smile, Shizune summoned one of the assistant kunoichi with a holler, "Haruka!"

Almost at once a 'pitter-patter' of running footsteps could be heard coming from outside the hallway…

Soon a young kunoichi opened the office door with a flourish... "H-Hai Shizune-sama? You summoned me?" she inquired in a polite tone, following her query with a respectful bow.

Pointing towards the enormous stack of sheets, the raven-haired woman replied, "Get Tsunade-sama for me at once Haruka. She's got some **serious** paperwork waiting for her."

Her junior bowed and as she began to take her leave… Shizune suddenly recalled an 'all-too-important' detail... "Oh! Wait a minute Haruka-"

Turning back towards her senior, the youngster asked, "Hai?"

Scratching her cheek while grinning nervously, the woman continued, "-don't tell her the bit about the 'paperwork' okay?" _(Sigh) Judging from her pending quantity of work, the old bat will **definitely** run away from the village again if she even catches wind of it!_

Haruka tilted her head in slight confusion before it struck her like a ton of bricks. "O-Oh! Hai, I understand Shizune-sama. Anything else?"

Waving her off kindly, the older female responded with another smile, "No that will be all. Thank you Haruka."

The door was closed silently soon afterwards and Shizune found herself all alone once more… glancing down at the creature in her arms, she slapped her head in mock realization, "Oops! I forgot that I have you for company Tonton-chan!"

"Oink!" her companion replied happily.

All at once there was the sound of approaching footsteps, which signaled the arrival of one of the most **powerful** kunoichi's in not only the Hidden Leaf, but also the entire shinobi world… one of the 'Three Legendary Sannin' and the Godaime Hokage of Konohagakure…

'Princess' Tsunade Senju.

Straightening out her short black hair out of sheer habit, Shizune prepared herself for the grand entry of her superior… _I can't believe she responded **that** quickly today!_

Her musings were to be short-lived however… as the door opened to reveal her superior in the flesh; the former keeping her fingers crossed the whole while. _Here it comes..._

Brushing her stray bang out of her face, the older but more 'attractive' woman asked, "What is it Shizune? Haruka was saying that it was something urgent…"

Her assistant just grinned nervously and kept mum. _Wait for it…_

Noticing the stack of papers and files behind her associate, Tsunade's hazel eyes widened in their sockets and she mentally screamed… _Great spirit of the Third! That pile is HUGE!_

Shizune only chuckled nervously as she found herself on the receiving end of the powerful Kage's death-glare. _Hope she isn't **too** mad about this…_ she inwardly prayed.

Too bad Kami wasn't feeling very 'generous' towards her on that day.

* * *

><p>Putting her hands on her curvy hips, Tsunade declared, "If you think that I'm gonna be wasting my time on these useless matters then you're sorely mistaken Shizune."<p>

Frowning back at her 'busty' boss, the dark-haired woman shot back, "You seem to have forgotten your 'other' duties Tsunade-sama. These-" she pointed towards the stack, "-records need to be done with as soon as possible and…" Her glare deepened even more than normal human limits as a sudden realization dawned upon her.

"Have you been drinking on the job… **again**?!" she nearly shrieked out loud.

Turning a bright pink at being caught so quickly for her misdemeanor, the blonde proceeded to 'quietly' head over to her desk and do as instructed... _Oh she's good, she's very good. Why do I get the feeling that she's always looking to nab me **only** when I'm in my drunken state?_

Sparing a glance at said individual she offered her a fake smile and resumed her work whilst mumbling something incoherent. _Damn paperwork... I seriously need to take a vacation someday._

* * *

><p><strong>Outside the office<strong>

Raising her small fist, Hinata proceeded to seek the permission to enter the Hokage's quarters. _I hope Tsunade-sama's not too busy today._

Strengthening her resolve she went to knock on the sturdy piece of wood... _Well, here goes nothing… _while trying her best to dismiss all unwanted and 'negative' ideas from her psyche.

**Knock! Knock!**

Thanking her kind predecessors above profusely for 'saving' her from her arduous workload, Tsunade cleared her throat and responded brightly, "Come in."

A swing of her office door and the young Hyuuga was revealed to her eyes... _Well! **She's** grown a lot since the last time I saw her_, she mused, silently 'appreciating' the young woman's voluptuous frame while beckoning her over to state the purpose of her visit. _Wonder what she wants from me?_

Bowing respectfully before her Hokage, Hinata put on a pleasant smile before greeting both of the ladies present.

"Ohayogosaimus Tsunade-sama… Shizune-san."

"Ohayo Hinata-san. What brings you here today?" Shizune replied, much to the chagrin of her senior whose mouth had been left 'embarrassingly' open (and silent).

_Wonder if she forgot who the **real** boss is around here…_ Tsunade inwardly fumed, oblivious to the fact that her childish antics were causing poor Hinata to stifle her laughter behind her palm.

Placing her elbows on her desk and interlocking her 'well-manicured' fingers together, the blonde Hokage donned a more serious demeanor... obviously meaning business. _Yosh... lets see what she has to say._

Rethinking her request, the indigo-haired kunoichi asked, "U-Um… I was wondering if you had any new missions that hadn't **yet** been taken Tsunade-sama?"

Her shinobi leader only raised a single, blonde eyebrow in interest.

Fidgeting under her scrutinizing gaze, Hinata probed further, "I've got a lot of spare time on hand y-you see and I thought that making myself available for any new, pending, assignment would be a smart idea."

Shizune turned towards her senior and found her apparently lost in deep thought. Bending down to whisper in her ear she murmured, her hushed tone being of great use then... considering that she had the practice of many years behind it, _"As far as I know there **aren't** any new missions available at the moment Tsunade-sama. What do you suggest?"_

Straightening up in her seat, the older woman cleared her throat again and declared, "I'm sorry Hinata but there aren't any new assignments that I know of at the moment." She readily noticed the young woman's face 'fall' at that...

"Tadashi…" **(AN: It means 'However' in Japanese)**

Hinata's head snapped up at that.

"… I'll tell you what, why don't you go and visit some of the other teams and bring me their most 'recent' progress reports?"

The Hyuuga's eyes widened slightly and she blurted out her surprise... to the blonde's face, "B-But Tsunade-sama! That's the job of the squad leaders... n-not someone like me and-"

She was silently cut off, courtesy of a raised hand by the Hokage herself... "I know that, but lately some of the... 'leaders' have been a bit too busy if I'm not mistaken."

* * *

><p>Tsunade glanced towards a 'now' chuckling Shizune and continued, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly as she resisted smirking outright, "This new 'busy' attitude of theirs has resulted in a delay in their reports so I want you to make yourself useful and collect them for me. In fact…"<p>

She reached below her desk to open the topmost drawer and pulled out a couple of thick documents. Placing them on her table, she browsed through them both briefly... nodding her head every few seconds. Seemingly satisfied with her choice the woman spoke, "Okay, Hinata…"

The lilac-eyed female responded in a serious tone, snapping to attention, "Hai!"

"I want you to go and collect the progress reports for Team Guy and Team Ten respectively."

Tsunade handed the files to Shizune to hold whilst she spoke... they would 'later' be promptly given to the Hyuuga once the former had finished speaking.

"Good luck."

Hinata took the files from the medic and bowed low... but found a doubt popping up in her 'careful' mind... "By when should I submit them Tsunade-sama?" she asked in a small voice.

Stroking her chin and gauging her future appointments in her head, the hokage answered, "Hmm… bring them in as soon as you've finished with jotting down their **entire** progress and developments, okay?"

Smiling and bowing once more, the bluenette thanked her leader and took her leave. _Yes! I've got something to do at last!_

After the door had closed behind her, Shizune turned towards her senior and asked, "You think it was 'wise', giving such a mundane task to someone like Hinata... Tsunade-sama?"

Leaning back in her chair and letting her eyelids droop over her vision, Tsunade calmly replied, "I'm confident that she will get the job done… and get it done quickly."

Her dark-haired assistant nodded in compliance, easily understanding the faith that the older woman had in the young kunoichi. _At least she knows what she's doing..._ she inwardly added.

"**I** think it was a smart move on my part…" her superior later on added (for better effect). Upon not receiving an adequate response to her opinion she cracked one eye open and finished in an intimidating tone, "Riiight?"

Nearly jumping with her timid pet still in her grasp, Shizune fearfully blabbered out her answer in apparent haste, "H-HAIEE!"

* * *

><p><strong>In one of Konoha's Training grounds…<strong>

"YOSH! How was **that** Guy-sensei?" an overly hyperactive voice resonated across the grassy field making even the birds cover their ears in dismay...

_It isn't even noon and he's at it already..._ Tenten groaned whilst sharpening her kunai one by one making each one of them deadly tools of close combat. Sadly enough, her eccentric squad leader then added to her misery by responding to her teammate's heartfelt query.

"Yes Lee! That's the spirit of youth flowing through your veins without doubt!" The taijutsu master assumed a dramatic pose and felt his insides nearly 'squirm' due to his 'unrestrainable' youthful energy... "(Sigh) If only the village was under siege right now, you and I would have engulfed all of our foes in the burning fire of our **invincible** teamwork! HAHA!"

"HAI! Guy-sensei!" was the energetic reaction from his top student in an identical (loud) fashion.

Slapping her free hand against her forehead, poor Tenten tried her level best to ignore the 'heated' exchange between her two 'associates'. _Where is that Neji when you need him? _She looked left and right with her innate anxiety growing by the second... _If he doesn't show up soon I'll surely go **insane** with all this talk of youth!_

Startled at her use of the 'taboo' word, she groaned yet again... _MO! I'm even thinking about it now!_

A rustle in the nearby undergrowth answered her plea as a tall and pale individual emerged from it... long mane of brown hair flowing behind him with an almost 'regal' flair and part of it resting on his broad shoulders. Neji Hyuuga then readily made his way over to where his teammate's were with indifferent air about him... _I see that they're at it as usual…_ he observed with 'little to no' interest.

He rubbed his temples to calm his growing annoyance before taking up a well-versed stance to begin his regular exchange of blows intended to sharpen his 'already lethal' gentle fist.

As usual, his more 'lively' teammate hardly noticed his presence but a certain pair of eyes were intently watching his every movement with an unfamiliar fondness and interest… _Neji works so hard at all of his jutsu. It's amazing that Guy sensei never **once** praises his efforts._

Tenten thought the above with a sense of sheer admiration; indifferent gaze then landing upon her zany teacher and his over-the-top antics with Lee as her mind began comparing the two. _Guess he's too busy mentoring Lee… as usual._

Getting on her feet and heading over to where the Hyuuga male was practicing his techniques, she decided to open him up using idle conversation...

"Oi! Neji…"

The male jounin continued his jyuuken as if her voice had never even reached him.

Frowning at his characteristic aloofness, the young woman stepped closer to him, knowing that in his deep concentration he just may 'strike her' by accident. _I've got no choice... he just doesn't **listen** to when people speak to him._

Cupping her hands over her mouth, she sucked in a deep breath and waited for an opportune moment to startle her unsuspecting comrade… _Alright you asked for it Neji…_

Trading continuous blows one after another was starting to take its toll on Neji's arms and he readily decided to take a break. _Better find a quieter spot for my meditation soon..._

The decision was made in hindsight of the fact that he was in the presence of two of the 'most noisy' shinobi in the land.

Suddenly, the focused man was bombarded with a piercing scream... the likes of which he had never, **ever** heard before…

"OI NEJI! ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME **BAKA**!"

* * *

><p>Covering his ringing eardrums with his hands and cursing the source of the absurdly loud sound with his entire mental prowess, Neji opened his eyes to find an absolutely <strong>furious<strong> teammate standing right in front of him. _Great Kami! What in the world is her problem?_ he inwardly groaned... unaccustomed to such blasphemous behaviour, least of all from someone like Tenten.

Taking in a deep intake of breath to calm her agitated nerves, the weapons master glared at her oblivious comrade in displeasure before saying, "It's about time that you listened to what I had to say."

Ignoring his look of confusion she steamed on, "All I wanted to do was ask how you were but it seems that you don't even have time for what your friends have got to say to you nowadays..." Her eyes carried a sad look whilst she mentioned the last part, reflecting her obvious hurt.

Feeling unusually 'guilty' at the turn things had taken, the Hyuuga male tried his best to console his 'friend' while trying to still sound dignified… _Great! Now I'm starting to feel bad about my actions... 'whatever' they may have been. I cannot recall the last time **that** has ever happened._

Neji cleared his throat and began his apology, "Look… Tenten…" (Ahem) "I understand that I've been a little 'aloof' recently but try not to let it affect you too much."

Tenten stared blankly at his nerve in disbelief but decided to keep mum. _Is he even serious...?_

Letting out a deep sigh, he continued, "For the last few days I've been trying to improve my control over the lower half of my body… footwork if you will…"

Busy in explaining his lengthy workout procedure, the dark-haired jounin failed to notice the fist that was just 'moments away' from connecting with his ivory cheek…

**WHAM!**

Landing flat on his back and onto the hard ground, the Hyuuga found himself to be in a slightly 'dazed' state. _W-What the…?_

Coughing up the dust that had accumulated across half of his face, the slugged youth managed to support his upper body on his forearms; right hand gingerly rubbing at his bruised cheekbone.

The prodigy proceeded to then look over at Tenten in mute horror, _Sh-She hit me! She **actually** hit me! _His genius mind, not quite used to such surprises, was in a temporary state of shock while his teammate continued to glare down at him with her arms crossed.

Deciding that she wasn't done with him yet, the frustrated kunoichi began her rant, "I can't believe that you could be so… so…" she mentally 'struggled' to find words to describe his ignorance and defiance... "... so **uncaring** to all that goes on around you Neji!"

_And here I thought that you had changed for the better..._

His utter disconnection from the current state of affairs that they were embroiled in only managed to infuriate her further. Calming her voice down she let out her last few words in a harsh whisper, "Know this Neji Hyuuga…"

Said male's head snapped up at that, eyes wide and curious.

"I'm never, **ever** going to bother with you again!"

With that declaration said and done with, the kunoichi began her stroll back to her more 'responsive' team member's, leaving an utterly confused and flabbergasted jounin behind.

_Insensitive jerk!_ she mentally added, not even bothering to give the man a fleeting look.

_..._

_Wh-What in the world just… happened?_ Neji asked himself in total bemusement, Tenten's words ringing over and over in his head. Not that he actually 'expected' a viable answer in any case.

Picking himself up and dusting off his white garb as best as he could, the ex-branch family member looked over in the direction of his teammate… _I just upset her didn't I?_

* * *

><p>Glancing back at her one-time crush and watching him dust himself off, Tenten managed to stifle a sob and morosely turn away… <em>It wouldn't have been worth the effort anyway.<em>

Suddenly she saw an unusual colour peeking up from the undergrowth in front of her and squinted her brown eyes in order to get a better look at it... _What the… it looks like… eggplant?_ she thought in slight amusement before realization dawned upon her.

_Hinata?! What's **she** doing way out here?_

Finding apparent solace in the sudden appearance of her old friend, the weapons master rushed to meet the former.

Making her way over to Team Guy's training field while covering nearly 'half the length' of the entire village hadn't been easy for her but it seemed that the many years of tracking done with her squad had... **finally** started to pay off.

_I hope they are not too busy today..._ Hinata thought, feeling awkwardly out of place in the presence of the eccentric squad.

"OHAYO HINATA-SAN!" A boomingly loud cry resonated from all the surrounding mountains and its echo reverberated in the unfortunate maiden's ears with the full brunt of its 'youthful' force. _Ooh! W-What in the world?!_

Recovering from her ordeal, Hinata looked up to see the grinning faces of half of the squad that she had to check up on that day. The first, and thankfully the **only** one, to embrace the shaken woman was Tenten who, for some odd reason, happened to be overly excited from her arrival as well...

"Oh wow! It's been quite some time since we last saw each other huh Hinata?"

Returning her hug with a coy embrace of her own, the shaken woman smiled and replied, "Ye-Yes it has hasn't it Tenten-san?"

Pulling apart, the suddenly 'excited' brunette surveyed her introverted friend closely much to the dark bluenette's discomfort. "Hmmm…" she finally said, obviously being in deep thought or some sort of contemplation.

"What is it?" the shy Hyuuga inquired with doubt lacing her tone.

The other female just smiled and said, "Nothing, except for the fact that you look just plain amazing Hinata!" Said girl blushed from the unexpected compliment... not really expecting anything even 'remotely' close to it.

Barging in to the scheme of things as usual, Konoha's noble 'Green Beast' himself, Might Guy, thought it 'necessary' to let his opinion be known to all in the vicinity.

Crossing his arms and keeping his eyes shut, the man spoke out his confident words in relation to the flustered female, "Hm, hm, hm! She's absolutely right Hinata! The fire of your **glowing** youth is enough to ignite the entire village right now!" He 'ended' his viewpoint with his signature 'nice guy pose' soon after; gleaming smile being the cause of a brief 'blinding effect' on all those present around him...

**TANG!**

Turning bright red at the embarrassing turn things had taken... Hinata was further mortified when Tenten burst out laughing whilst clutching her trembling sides in sheer mirth. _(Sigh) Guy-sensei can be so vocal sometimes. Even Tenten-san is laughing at me_, she thought sadly, her eyes lowered.

Noticing that her fellow kunoichi was starting to **really** feel uncomfortable under the intense praise showered upon her, the weapons-user decided it best to act as her aid... "Mo… Guy-sensei! You're embarrassing poor Hinata! Isn't it about time that you and Lee went back to your training drill?"

Just as she had hoped, her effervescent squad leader readily agreed and raced off to resume his hardcore training with his 'ever loyal and attentive' student by his side.

"Sayonara! See you later Hinata-san!" Lee managed to holler before he sprinted off after his eccentric teacher and idol...

... leaving an embarrassed Tenten all alone to clean things up after him (rhetorically speaking).

* * *

><p><em>That takes care of that<em>, the brown-haired woman patted herself on the back and turned to look at her still flushed visitor. _Wow! She recovered **much** quicker than last time! Ha-ha! _

Putting a hand on her waist and shaking all other unnecessary thoughts from her head, she asked, "Sooo, why the visit all of a sudden Hinata?"

The indigo-haired woman thought for a moment and replied, "Well… Tsunade-sama asked me to collect the status reports on both Team Guy and Team 10… so that's why I'm here." Returning her friend's smile with one of her own, she continued, "I thought it would be better to come here since your squad was closer Tenten-san."

Scratching her head in silent understanding, her compatriot nodded and said, "Well, I'll just say that you came to the right place then!" Grinning at her puzzled expression, she plowed on, "Better not ask Guy-sensei about it though. Come, I'll give you our reports regarding the last 3 months of our progress."

Nodding her head in quiet thanks, Hinata followed the older girl into a nearby tent where all of the squad's important equipment was stored. Upon entering the stuffy interior she inquired, "But... why not Guy-sensei Tenten-san?"

Holding back a sigh, Tenten replied, "Um… you see, he really **doesn't** keep any sort of progress reports Hinata."

Shuffling aside some papers that she had been preparing over the last few months, she continued in more of a mutter than anything, "He says that memorizing all of it will keep his brain fresh and... 'youthful'." _Ugh! I absolutely **hate** that word now! _Finally having located the elusive file she exclaimed, "Aha! Found it!"

Looking back at the other female she found her giggling away, apparently 'amused' by something or other. _Hmm? Was it something I said?_ Tenten wondered.

"Hm… hm… hm…! That definitely sounds like something Guy-sensei would say!" Hinata snickered softly.

Joining in on her laughter, the brunette handed over the file to the former and gestured towards the exit to the tent. _Hehe, she sure is in a good mood today..._

Hinata smiled and thanked her friend, her gratefulness easily recognizable through her words, "Arigato Tenten-san. I really appreciate your help."

Waving her off in a casual manner the chocolate-eyed girl winked, "Anytime Hinata anytime… and I really liked the fact that you came over for a visit too."

Nodding, the heiress complied with another smile, "Me too Tenten-san. I-I'll try to visit more often."

Giving her a thumbs up in a style astonishingly similar to a certain 'ramen-loving' blonde's, Tenten playfully replied with a smirk, "You'd better!" Their parting speeches, however, were soon interrupted by the arrival of Hinata's verbally 'battered' older cousin.

_Oh! I almost forgot about niisan…_

Her female compatriot, surprisingly enough, acted as if he didn't even **exist**... leaving Hinata to feel as if the former was being 'far colder' towards him than ever before. _I wonder why? Did they... have a fight?_

Looking over at the tall male she noticed a fair amount of colour drain from his face as soon as his eyes connected with his teammate. Before she could probe into it further however, the former decided to break his mute silence...

"Ohayogosaimus Hinata-sama. What brings you here?"

Tucking away a strand of hair behind her ear in an effort to control her uneasiness, she quickly replied, "A-Ano it's nothing Neji-niisan. I just wanted to get the status report for your squad." She held up the file for him to see, hoping it would suffice.

"Hmm," Neji grunted in compliance and quietly stepped aside, providing for her the way to pass.

As she stepped out of the tent's entrance, the younger Hyuuga glanced back at the two and for a moment could see an annoyed look pass over Tenten's face... yet decided it wise not to 'delve' into their personal matters too much. _They **definitely** had a fight… I guess he made her mad about something or the other._

She inwardly giggled at their predicament, imagining them to be just like any other cute bickering couple of the village for a passing moment.

Shielding her eyes from the piercing sunlight, Hinata turned around and waved one last time at the two before resuming the other half of her trek over to Team 10's location… _Well if the trip to this squad was so simple, Ino-san is sure to be **more** than just welcoming!_

With those positive thoughts running through the entirety of her system, she continued on her way…

* * *

><p><strong>Somewhere, in another part of the village<strong>

"Yawn!"

Placing a hand over the expulsion of breath a tad bit too late, Kiba wiped the sleep from his eyes and thought. _Great, here I am trying to find little Ms. Sunshine and the search **itself** is making me sleepy! _Looking up at a pair of crows that flew by, he let out a deep sigh and trudged onward before an 'all too familiar' scent made him freeze in his tracks...

_Speak of the devil…_

Sniffing the air once more just to be sure, the dog-nin frowned in realization and whirled around to greet his follower. _Yep, my day just got better._

Raising his eyebrow in mock interest he said, "You should know better than to try and sneak up on me…" He folded his arms across his muscular chest soon after and let loose is trademark smirk, "... Naruto."

His brain however, was 'filled to the brim' with inane profanities. _Of all the days that he could have picked to come and chitchat! It just **had** to be today!_

The Inuzuka groaned once more in slight exasperation, _Can't be helped I guess, better humour him while I still have the strength..._

Brushing aside his personal preferences for the moment, Kiba readily came back to reality to hear what the blonde had to say in his defense.

Rubbing his neck with a wide grin plastered on his face, Naruto blurted out his reason for seeking a face-to-face conversation with the Inuzuka, "Hehe… how'd ya know it was me Kiba?"

His brown-haired 'pal' had to hold back the urge to let his jaw drop onto the gravelly street in blatant disbelief… instead, he simply opted for a good ol' fashioned face-palm to save time. _His brain should be made into a 'National Treasure' or something_. _Hard to find anything quite like it I'll bet._

Shoving his hands into his deep pockets, Kiba decided it to be a **far** better option to move on rather than spend time over Naruto's incessant queries…

… or he would have…

... if **another** loud yell from said nuisance hadn't stopped him... _Again!_ he inwardly fumed 'more-than-ready' to knock the former's lights out if given the chance.

"Oi! Kiba hold up! Just where are you going by the way?" came the loud call from a few metres behind him.

Looking over his shoulder at the hyperactive blonde, the jounin merely turned back around and resumed walking forward. _As if I got time to play around right now…_

"C'mon Kiba! Tell me dattebayo!" the jinchuuriki's voice seemed closer to him than before and suddenly an 'unwelcome' arm had been draped around his defined shoulders. The man remained in pure shock at the close proximity that he was currently sharing with the hyperactive male but opted to keep his mouth shut…

_He'd better remove that arm of his if he knows what's good for him..._ he growled silently.

"Hm? What's wrong Kiba? You face is all red..." the blonde commented offhandedly, his blue eyes blinking twice as curiosity loomed over his face. Sighing in apparent defeat, the annoyed Inuzuka decided to answer his previous question instead, "I'm goin' to see what Hinata is upto… happy?"

If his slightly flushed face **hadn't** been turned away from his 'friend', Kiba would have clearly seen the look of confusion pass over Naruto's whiskered face.

"But why Kiba?"

Looking over at him with a bemused expression on his face, the dog-nin said through his teeth, "Cuz I haven't got anything better to do today dumbass! Now if you'll excuse me I've gotta get a move on already…"

With that matter settled, the brunette heaved a sigh of relief and left a now 'slightly' miffed Naruto behind him… _Tch! It's not like he'll **stop** eating ramen if I diss him off. Now, where are you Hinata?_

Sniffing the gentle breeze for her sweet scent, a grin found its way over his handsome face... _Hehe, found you._

He walked on with a renewed spring in his step towards his new destination. _Damn… should have only headed over to **her** in the first place! I guess I owe you one for this then... Naruto._

* * *

><p><strong>Team 10's training ground, external border…<strong>

As she made her way over to her next target, the young kunoichi felt a cool breeze blow by her. It cooled her face and carried with it a... 'refreshing' feeling in its entirety... almost feeling familiar in a way that made her feel calm and protected. _Just like those evening walks with mother…_

Remembering the times long past, which amounted to just some 'years' in actual figures, made her highly emotional and sentimental.

_It was so wonderful back then with mother. She loved Hanabi and me so much..._ Hinata mused, crystal clear tears forming at the corners of her lilac eyes. Raising a delicate finger to wipe away at the flowing droplets, she thought back on the more 'happier' memories that she had shared with her deceased parent.

A thought suddenly struck her and she immediately reached inside of her bulky jacket to remove her most treasured possession… her mother's photograph. _Mm... ah! Found it._

Sighing at the picture of her beloved parent encased within the piece of paper, the woman noticed the **stark** similarities that they both shared…

If she didn't know any better, Hinata would have easily assumed that it was a photo of **her** older sister! _We do have the same 'eggplant' coloured hair after all…_ she giggled silently to herself, looking at her older version's beautiful face with admiration glowing through her vision... _Mother had such a pretty smile._

There was 'no doubt' about the fact that looks wise, Hinata was a 'mirror image' of her mother's beauty. She only wished to be able to 'replicate' a similar kind of kindness and affection, which her parent seemed to possess in enormous quantities. _I've **always** wanted to be strong like father... and kind like you mother._

Her milky orbs stared up at the beautiful blue sky as a wide smile grew on her face. _Watch over me and Hanabi from heaven okay?_

With that done she carefully placed the precious item back in her jacket pocket... _Sniff! Okay, get a hold of yourself Hinata, you have a job to do._

... and slapped her cheeks twice; mind trying to focus back onto the task at hand. _Yosh..._

With her mind cleared of all distractions, an emotionally 'recharged' Hinata resumed her trek towards the training field of Team 10... _I can't wait to see them all..._ she smiled to herself.

... a team comprising of some of the **finest** shinobi in the whole of Konohagakure.

_Their grounds must be right behind this bush… hmm…_ the female moved her hand forward to push aside the bundle of leaves to see…

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So there you are dear readers. Part II will be up soon enough so keep your seatbelts on! LOL<strong>

**Btw, a heartfelt thanks to all of my readers AND reviewers (particularly KibaHina LUV, You rock!) I hope you all 'Read & Rate' this one as quickly as possible!**

**See you on Part II's page... suggestions and ideas are MORE than welcome as always.**

**Adios Amigos! =D**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter VI: Closer than before…?

(Part 2)

**Disclaimer: I am not the owner or creator of this manga/TV series… nor do I claim to be as such.**

**AN: Firstly, a heartfelt thanks to 'KibaHina LUV' for pointing out my 10 errors in the previous chapter… appreciate it!**

**Hmm… alrighty then, things will speed up a bit between Kiba and Hinata starting with this chappie so buckle your seatbelts folks! ;D**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><em>Their grounds must be right behind this bush… hmm… the female moved her hand forward to push aside the bundle of leaves to see…<em>

… a **huge** boulder rolling her way at a furious speed! _N-Nani?!_

Reacting on pure instinct, Hinata leaped out of the abomination's path with the grace and finesse of a cat, landing on her feet some distance away and witnessing the demolition of the rock wall that just 'happened' to be behind her when she was attacked.

Debris flew in all possible directions as the boulder smashed its way right 'through' the column of stone. Once the dust had settled, Hinata let out the breath she had been holding… _Phew! That was close…_

Just as she was recovering from her ordeal, she saw the giant ball begin to 'unfurl' itself… _W-What in the world?_

Where the giant ball, that had nearly 'run her over' some moments ago, was once situated... now stood an extremely worried looking 'Choji Akimichi'. A highly flustered and **gasping** Choji… one who was running towards her at top speed; honest concern framing his small eyes.

_Oh wow! I nearly ran her over! Good thing she dodged that when she did…_

Thoughts taking on a more relaxed nature now that he knew that his old friend was safe and sound, the young and 'built' man decided it best to start with an apology. _Atleast it's Hinata who I've got to deal with. She's really nice, I hope…_

Finally getting a good look at the person who was a 'giant ball' a few seconds ago, Hinata let a relieved smile grace her pale features and waved at her fellow jounin good-naturedly.

Stopping right in front of her, the man blurted out his apology in a mad rush, "I-I'm really sorry about that Hinata… I didn't see you behind that bush and-" but was abruptly cut off with a sudden bonk on the back of his head that sent his large frame crashing towards the earth with a 'thud'.

_?!_

"BAKA! You nearly caused a **catastrophe** you know that?!"

The piercing yell was one which the Hyuuga female knew 'all too well' to only belong to the Yamanaka heiress herself AKA an **extremely** agitated Ino.

She readily proceeded to greet the newcomer; uneasy smile in place... "A-Ano, Ino-san…"

The feisty blonde looked over from the punishment that she was dishing out on her hapless teammate and gave a sheepish grin to her fellow kunoichi, "Oh! Hi Hinata… w-what's up?"

Giggling at the scene before her, the purple-haired heiress replied, "I'm good Ino-san. But please don't punish Choji-kun for that, he's already apologized. I w-was in the path by accident anyway."

Considerably relaxing her angry features, the platinum blonde looked back at the male that she was 'apparently' sitting on at that moment and was rewarded with cheeks of a **bright** tomato red… _Hmm? What's **he** getting so red about?_

Realizing exactly **where** she had been perched, the blue-eyed woman blushed crimson and looked away in embarrassment… much to her further mortification.

Which was as awkward as it was surprising, Hinata noted. _They **are** best friends and may fight sometimes too but why is Ino-san blushing all of a sudden? Unless…_

Her inner clockwork was however interrupted by the sudden appearance of the last member of the former 'Team Asuma'…

… the man with an IQ of over 200…

... the lazy 'cloud watching' heir to the Nara Clan… Shikamaru Nara.

* * *

><p>"Tch, How troublesome…" he said nonchalantly while scratching his cheek, looking from his teammate's to their unexpected visitor with a bored expression adorning his face.<p>

Upon seeing the young woman said expression immediately 'lightened' and he proceeded to greet her in his usual calm tone, "Oh... hey there Hinata. Long time no see."

The girl waved and responded cheerfully, "Hai, it has been quite a long time Shikamaru-kun, Choji-kun..." She said the last part whilst looking at the flushed Akimichi heir…

... who was still on the ground… with a **severe** case of high blood pressure.

Getting up and off her teammate, Ino muttered a quiet 'gomen' in his direction and remained unusually quiet while her other two squad members chatted with Hinata and inquired about the purpose of her unexpected visit… _I shouldn't have jumped him like that, what will he be thinking of me?_

Brushing himself off and regaining his bearings, the cheerful Akimichi returned Hinata's friendly smile. "Sooo, why the sudden visit Hinata? Not that Ino's complaining! She's finally got someone to chat along with!" he grinned and thumbed in the platinum blonde's direction with a cheeky wink...

... which earned him a smirk from his best friend, an amused giggle from their visitor… and **another** bonk on the head from his psychic female friend.

"Ow!" _More like psycho…_ he inwardly groaned, rubbing at the new injury with his large hand.

Glaring daggers at her teammate, Ino put on a pleasant smile and gave Hinata a warm hug before asking her the same question, "Yeah, why the sudden visit Hinata? All well at home?"

The dark bluenette nodded and explained, "Hai, but you see, Tsunade-sama hasn't received the progress reports from both Team Guy and Team 10 for the last few months so…" Giving the Yamanaka an unsure smile she continued, "… she assigned me with the task of collecting them."

Waiting for her information to sink in, she clarified further, "So I'm just here to collect your status report Ino-san… but I came to see you all again too." The pink-faced woman added the last part with a shy grin of her own.

"Hmmm… yeah we've got our reports for the past few months all prepared Hinata," Shikamaru said, his right hand stroking his chin as he glanced across the field they were currently in. "I was originally planning on delivering them myself but... seeing as **you've** taken up the job…" he shrugged nonchalantly, his eyes shut as if in mild relaxation.

"... I guess I'm now relieved of that troublesome task."

"And you're **real** happy about that aren't you Shikamaru?" Ino butted in, sarcasm dripping off of her every word; taunting expression set in place on her pretty face.

Giving his friend a half-hearted glare, Shikamaru just put his hands behind his head and sighed, "Depends on how you look at it Ino."

Hinata and Choji smiled awkwardly as they witnessing the 'usual' argument between the two childhood friends. _They haven't changed at all..._ the former reminisced. _They are **still** the same Ino-Shika-Cho from the old days. _Her thoughts were interrupted yet again by the shadow mimic who was waving his lazy hand in front of her pale face...

"Hellooo? Anyone in there?"

Coming out of her reverie, the heiress blushed slightly and said, "Sorry I j-just zoned out there."

Sighing again, Shikamaru responded with a simple, "Troublesome…" and said, "C'mon I'll give you those reports that you came for Hinata. The sooner they're off my hands the better."

Nodding gratefully, the kunoichi followed him to the clearing where all of the squad's equipment and supplies were placed on a dried tree stump... with some of the items being 'conveniently' wrapped up for further efficiency of storage and security.

_Finally! I was wondering when I could get those files off my back. It would have been a drag to get **all** of that data sorted out anyway..._ Shikamaru mused to himself in slight relief at knowing that he was going to soon be **rid** of the arduous task.

* * *

><p>Glancing out at the bushes and trees that surrounded them he frowned, <em>Funny… I could have sworn I saw something moving in those bushes. <em>Dismissing it as too 'troublesome' to be investigated further he gathered up the necessary papers.

Picking up the assorted documents and placing them haphazardly in their folder, he handed over the item to a beaming Hinata... "Here you go... that's all of it."

Taking the precious data from her colleague she smiled at him in thanks, "Arigato Shikamaru-kun. I'll make sure to give these to Tsunade-sama as soon as possible."

Waving her off with a small smile, the lazy jounin said, "Don't mention it… it was nice seeing you again anyways. Ino was getting quite bitchy recently but I guess you showed up at the right time and saved me and Choji from her evil wrath." He added a small smirk to his statement, cheekily referring to the hotheaded bombshell.

Hinata only giggled and thanked him once again.

Turning to leave after getting what she came for, she saw both Ino and Choji standing before her with grin's plastered on their faces. _I wonder what they are smiling about…_ she thought, tilting her head in confusion.

It was the good-natured Akimichi who spoke up first, "Aww, come on Hinata! You meet us after so long and you've **already** decided to leave."

Sensing her obvious confusion Ino decided to step up with an explanation, "What we mean Hinata, is that we would **really** like it if you trained with us today… at least for a little while."

She adopted a look that was 'best suited' for that moment; bright blue eyes similar to the ones seen in innocent little puppies, "Please?"

The indigo-haired woman was at a loss for words but...

... rightfully decided to be polite and was 'about to' refuse their proposal when she sensed a disturbance in the undergrowth some feet behind her…

_Ow! Shit...!_

Shuffling in the bushes while on his hands and knees was not easy but Kiba somehow managed it…

... by swearing inaudibly every five seconds due to his discomfort regarding his present 'choice' of location. _Damn these thorny bushes! Great going Kiba you ass, you just **had** to pick the only bush with no flowers in it…_

His inner ramblings were cut short however when he caught the heavenly scent of his beautiful teammate waft up his nose. _Wow! Hinata smells so fab today! She must be close by, lessee…_

Peeking out from the leaves that hid his visage from those on the outside, he was in for a **rude** shock when he saw both Hinata and Shikamaru near a tree stump talking about something… just a mere few 'feet' in front of where he remained hidden!

_Oh boy! I'm in big, big trouble if I don't get outta here quick! _With those thoughts in mind, he tried to crawl out through the back of his hiding spot as quietly as possible… _Mmhm… nice and easy Kiba… slow and steady…_

* * *

><p><strong>Inevitably…<strong>

_K-Kiba-kun? What is he doing here?_ Hinata thought in utter shock and disbelief at discovering her teammate... her 'best friend' nonetheless spying on her from a short distance away. _Why is he hiding there?_

Remaining focused on the latter's hiding spot through her activated Byakugan she called out, "Kiba-kun?"

_Damn... there goes 'Plan B'..._

Emerging from the bush with his head lowered and body covered in thorns from all sides, a shame-faced Kiba Inuzuka made his 'not-so-grand' entry into the midst of the other Konoha shinobi… _Man, this is worse than getting busted with a cookie jar._

He nevertheless noticed how the gazes of his colleagues remained fixated upon him as he approached... _Hope she's not **too** mad about this._

Although he could never imagine his shy little Hinata to be an 'I'M GONNA BREAK YOUR DAMN FACE CUZ YOU WERE SPYING ON ME' type, Kiba was **not** ready to overlook that facet… at least, judging by the raised eyebrows that he was being greeted with at the moment.

Thoroughly embarrassed at the turn things had taken, Hinata's mind was steadily filling up with more and more 'baseless' conclusions by the second. _I wonder why Kiba-kun was spying on me. D-Did he want to talk to me about something…?_

It was inevitably the culprit who answered the jury... "Uh hehe… hi there Hinata..."

Rubbing the back of his neck with an uneasy grin, he continued awkwardly, "Sorry about all that, I was just searching for you since morning and finally found where you were and-"

The Yamanaka female decided to butt in at that point, **much** to his annoyance... "And you decided to peep and pry right?"

Giving her a sharp glare, the Inuzuka growled out through his teeth, "I don't peep… and I don't 'pry' Yamanaka. So keep your nose to yourself!"

Satisfied at the flinch that he received in response, the wild-haired youth turned towards his angel and said in a more even tone, "I just came to ask if you would like to train with me today Hinata."

Her eyes widened at his proposal but she found it hard to refuse it at that point... since she **did** really want to get out of the immediate vicinity at a moments notice; the embarrassment that she was feeling right then being the prime reason. _It's better that I go with him. Things don't look 'too good' between Kiba-kun and Ino-san right now._

She never did wish to see **any** sort of conflict between her dear friends anyway.

With her decision finalized Hinata gave him her reply, "Hai, I'll go with you Kiba-kun."

The 'Team 10' members looked at one another and simply exchanged looks of understanding... feeling a tad bit disappointed in the process.

Being the first to react to the declaration, Choji shrugged and bid them goodbye, "Ok, see you later Hinata." _That Kiba... always the underdog, Hehe!_

Joining him Ino smiled at her friend and waved her off, "Meet up with me again sometime ok Hinata?"

Heading towards the dog-nin, the kunoichi turned and waved back... promising to keep in touch with them all. _It was nice meeting them again. (Sigh) I really should have kept myself more sociable._

Coming back to reality when she felt a warm hand placed on her shoulder, she looked up at a grinning Kiba and blushed slightly at his touch.

"Let's get going Hina," he smiled kindly; brown eyes nearly gleaming. Nodding in compliance, she smiled back.

* * *

><p>Looking back at the other three jounin before he and his companion were completely covered in the thick undergrowth, the tall male waved nonchalantly with one hand buried deep in his pant pocket, "See ya…"<p>

Watching the two head off with her arms crossed, Ino smirked and answered back with 'equal affection', "Yeah, see you later dog-breath..." His other male pals only sweat dropped at that statement and waved back as casually as he had.

_(Sigh) Those two are simply too troublesome to have around..._ the Nara smiled secretly to himself, his two friends current 'position' around one another being the source of his mild amusement.

Kiba ignored the blonde's remark and turned back to lead Hinata onto the special training spot that he had prepared for them… _(Sigh) I hope that she likes it. It'll atleast make up for all of the awkwardness she felt back there._

_..._

"..."

Glancing at the girl behind him, he felt his heart rate quicken and before she could meet his eyes, the Inuzuka turned his head back towards the front. _C'mon make some small talk with her you idiot!_ he inwardly berated his spineless state, palms turning slightly sweaty. _At the very least apologize!_

Clenching his fists inside of his pockets out of uncharacteristic nervousness, Kiba cleared his throat and said, "Uh… (Ahem) sorry about what happened back there Hinata."

**That** made his quarry look at him with rapt attention, her soft cheeks still flushed a deep pink... "No... i-it's okay Kiba-kun." She gained a bit of courage due to his silence and pushed on, "Really, I was j-just surprised by how you suddenly showed up there that's all."

_Or how you managed to discover me hiding and felt like I was peeping on you_, the dog-nin thought with self-loathing, feeling extremely guilty for hiding himself from her.

"Actually I was going to come and meet you after I was finished with this assignment that Tsunade-sama gave me," she finished, voice no louder than a whisper as if she was afraid of being heard out loud.

Snapping his head up in surprise, Kiba looked back at the 'still blushing' face of his angel and couldn't help but think with a small grin playing at his lips. _Does she ever **not** blush?_

Shaking his head, he said, "Oh… well I guess we found 'each other' then... ne, Hinata?"

Eyes lowered in embarrassment, Hinata felt a small smile tug at her lips… eventually looking back up at him and grinned outright albeit with her 'permanent' blush still glowing bright…

... nearly 'stinging' the poor pup's dark eyes with its luminescent glow.

Feeling his cheeks heat up, Kiba, at that point, was unbelievably grateful that his red clan markings had managed to hide his **own** blush from the woman. _Whoa! Close one. Damn, her smile really makes my stomach turn sometimes…_ he thought with a goofy grin plastered on his face.

Offering her his outstretched hand, the man waited until her small palm had met with his… a happy smile appearing on her lips as she did so.

_Just like when we were kids_, he mused.

Wrapping his fingers around hers, he then gently guided her to his chosen training spot...

...

_Here we are..._

* * *

><p>Moving aside the overhanging canopy of leaves from their path, the two young jounin were greeted to a sight which could only have come straight from out of a storybook…<p>

Lush greenery decorated the expanse before them, containing a grassy field that seemed to stretch on for **miles** on end. With a small waterfall on the right having a flowing stream originating from its feet, flowers of various colours and fragrances littering the banks of said stream… it was truly a heavenly sight with not a cloud to be seen in the mid afternoon sky.

The 'finishing touches' were provided by the opposite cliff face on which moss and other wild plant growth was present in acute abundance, providing shade for the saplings and flowerbeds on the earth below.

_This place really is something…_

It was certainly inconceivable that such a place existed anywhere in Konoha or the 'Land of Fire' for that matter. Finding it to his liking, the brown-haired youth had no difficulty whatsoever in selecting the scenic haven as his and his 'special' teammate's new training grounds... _Heh, only the **very** best for her anyway…_

Looking back at his amazed companion, Kiba let a smirk grow on his lips and clicked his fingers in front of her dazed face twice, "Hey… hey… What's the matter Hina?"

Mouth agape and eyes unable to believe the **spectacular** sight before her eyes, Hinata took a much-needed gulp of air and responded with the curiosity of a child, "H-How did you find such a beautiful place Kiba-kun? I've never even seen anything l-like this before…"

Face nearly bursting into a joyous grin, the brunette replied, "Ah… ya know me Hinata always sniffing around all over the place, Ha-ha!"

Her soft giggle at his corny joke made him elaborate further... "To be honest, I just found this place some days ago."

Folding his arms around his chest he continued, "Akamaru really liked it here a lot so I thought this should be our special training spot." _Boy, was **he** excited about it, Hehe!_

Turning towards her completely he asked, "What do you think?"

Clasping her dainty hands together, Hinata smiled in near contentment and said, "I think it's absolutely wonderful Kiba-kun..." Feeling curious all of a sudden she ventured to ask, "So… ano, how was it training here with Akamaru then?"

Her eyes carried the excitement of a child getting ready to hear her favourite bedtime story. _If only she knew about the kind of weird stories that **I** heard as a kid, Hehe…_

"Hmm… let's see… uh..."

Placing one hand on his waist, the dog-nin gave his head a good scratch before proceeding to narrate his and his K-9 companion's previous drill session to his inquisitive teammate.

_Alright here goes, better keep it short and sweet…_

* * *

><p><strong>Flashback<strong>

_"HYAAA!" Bursting forward with astonishing speed, Kiba slammed his fist in the off guard animal's side, making it howl in pain and snap its mighty jaws over its master's free arm._

_("Fuck! He's quicker than last time!" he groaned in pain)_

_Grinding his teeth together, the dog-nin kicked out at his K-9 partner and backed away with a couple of short leaps waiting for its next move… ("Ok. Watcha got for me old boy?")_

_Moving around its cornered master in circles with a menacing prowl, the large dog gave out an annoyed growl and ran forward at top speed while swerving from side to side, successfully avoiding the incoming projectiles from its target._

_"Grrr! Rawf rrr rawf! he snarled ferociously, **refusing** to let his prey escape this time._

_His familiar managed to throw in a few more shuriken his way and then take a few short leaps backwards, trying to increase the gap (of distance) between the both of them at the same time. ("He's sure gotten a whole lot faster than last time...")_

_Akamaru easily jumped over the last of the shuriken and charged ahead relentlessly…_

_("Great, he dodged 'em all…" Kiba cursed inwardly with slight irritation, following it up with a comical groan of despair... "Kunai just don't 'cut it' for us shinobi nowadays.")_

_Snapping himself out of his inner thoughts, the young man acted on his feet… and right before the 'rabid' beast was upon him, leaped onto its back and pushed the latter down; letting a snarl into it's left ear._

_"Okay... I've got you now Akamaru. You give?"_

_Barking in plain refusal, the dog tried to shake off its rider and managed to hurl the jounin into the air and off of itself, "Rrowf!"_

_Landing on solid dirt and rolling over and onto his feet Kiba wiped the sweat from his brow and smirked ("Submission never **ever** worked on him before. Guess I gotta end this the old fashioned way!")._

_With that decision made, the determined Inuzuka ran at the animal at full speed, his gleaming claws bared…_

_Snarling at his attacker's approach, the furious creature rushed forward as well, "Rrrawf!"_

_Such was it's rage that it failed to notice the difference between its master and a simple 'Kage Bunshin.' _

_The decoy immediately dissipated in a cloud of smoke on impact, leaving the animal temporarily disoriented. Turning left and right whilst trying to locate the apparently hidden jounin, Akamaru didn't get the time to cover up his 'vulnerable' blind spot before…_

_"TSUGAAAA!"_

_The wild roar could be heard echoing far into the surrounding woods, but only **after** its impact had already been felt by the unfortunate victim…_

_The feral shinobi had struck from above at his partner, scooping the large dog in his culmination of raging claws and fangs before crashing into a nearby pile of rocks headfirst…_

_... taking his hapless prey with him._

_**CRASH!**_

_("...")  
><em>

_"..."_

_Recovering from the destructive attack, Kiba shakily got back up onto his feet. Shaking his dizzying head clear of the oncoming concussion, he called out for his companion... "Oi Akamaru! You all right boy?"_

_He only received a small whine in response and fearfully looked at the wounded creature expecting the worst… ("I didn't hold back on that one as much as I should have. Damn!")_

_Heading over to the dog's landing spot a few feet away with a small leap, he was considerably **relieved** to see his old friend in good shape, "Phew! You really had me scared for a moment there ya rascal!"_

_Wagging his furry tail in amusement, Akamaru barked in agreement, "Woof!"_

_Grinning at his training partner, the Inuzuka heir reached out and hurled the enormous animal onto his muscular back, ignoring the 'still' bleeding scratch marks all over his half-torn fishnet shirt._

_"Haha! I guess you really made me your bitch today huh Akamaru?" Kiba let out a bark of laughter while his injured pet licked the back of his ear in joyous enthusiasm._

_"Let's head home and get you all fixed up. I'm sure Hana will yell at you for being reckless though..."_

_Looking back at the dog on his back, the dog-nin let out an amused chuckle at the forlorn look that passed over Akamaru's furry face, "But dontcha worry Aka, ol' Kiba's got your back… "_

_Thinking it over once more in his head he corrected himself "… err… tail!"_

_His passenger barked happily and generously distributed his drool all over the back of his steed's neck._

**End Flashback**

* * *

><p>"..."<p>

Sitting in a fetal position with her arms wrapped securely around her knees, Hinata was slowly rocking back and forth... listening keenly to Kiba's retelling of his and Akamaru's grueling session of physical labour. _Sugoi... Kiba-kun works so **very** hard at his and Akamaru's development._

She smiled and wandered off into her own thoughts at that. _He reminds me... a **lot** of Naruto-kun with his amazing drive and confidence._

Taking a deep breath the Inuzuka male took some much needed vocal rest before grinning widely at his female friend, "Sooo… that's pretty much what me and Akamaru did for our training a few days back."

Leaning back with his palms flat against the smooth grass, he let his eyelids droop and inhaled a deep intake of his teammates intoxicating scent… _Kami, she smells sooo good today! Good thing the wind's blowing against me._

Opening an eye, he glanced lazily in her direction and was left completely breathless by the sight present before him…

_Whoa…! Kirie…_

With her luscious dark-blue locks being blown in sync with the cool breeze, the woman before him set his heart on fire. Midnight blue hair being like a curtain of joyous **sin**... lying in waiting to enslave him within its loving embrace.

Lips plump and amazingly untouched to this day by anyone else. Eyes equivalent to endless pools of love and affection, meant to be showered upon a 'certain someone' who happened to not even realize how fortunate he actually was.

_Man… that blonde idiot can't even see what's right in front him. If only he knew, Hinata wouldn't still be like this._

Shaking such adverse thoughts from his psyche, Kiba smiled at the epitome of flawless human beauty that was seated a short distance away from him and said, "What's up Hinata? Watcha thinking about?"

Feeling slightly embarrassed at being caught daydreaming, the heiress flushed pink and, waving her hands in front of her in mortification, replied, "O-Oh n-nothing Kiba-kun, nothing at all!"

Judging by the skeptical look that her best friend was giving her at that point, Hinata **really** should have seen it coming.

"C'mon I know you better than that… so spill it," he smirked.

She let out a small sigh and inevitably gave in, "A-Ano… I was thinking about how you remind me of… of…"

Nodding his head slowly in encouragement, her partner egged her on, "Hm, I'm listening…"

Failing to hide her embarrassment from him, she blurted it out in a rush, "… Naruto... kun…"

"...?"

He felt his breath die in his throat at that... as words simply failed to come out. It became far too painful to even feel his hearts pulse hitting against his ribcage.

Each time... he felt it **dying** slightly. Each time.

Yet, Kiba Inuzuka refused to show it... being absolutely **against** letting the girl of his dreams know about his internal pain at her mention of… that name.

* * *

><p>Looking at her friend's face with her eyebrows creased in worry, Hinata could only see a blank expression lying all across his tanned face. His lips were held shut in a thin line and his eyes…<p>

... his eyes that were a dark chocolate and almost always contained anything from mischief to smug confidence, were right now staring at apparently 'nothing' in particular. It was almost as if he was seeing right 'through' her.

Her companions 'held back' look scared her and, placing her hands tentatively on each of his broad shoulders, she proceeded to gently shake him out of his thoughts... "Kiba-kun… Kiba-kun? Are you alright?"

Her anxious tone was 'more-than-enough' to bring him out of his self-created pools of pity.

Slowly giving her a broad smile, Kiba rubbed the back of his neck good-naturedly and chuckled, "Hehe, don't worry about me Hinata. I guess I was just shell shocked that you would ever compare **me** to that knucklehead!"

Feeling her anxiety fade away as quickly as it had arrived, the young kunoichi smiled at the dog-nin's quick humor. Blushing all of a sudden she asked, "So… um… you're not mad that I compared you to Naruto-kun then?"

Blinking in genuine surprise, the jounin male scratched his tattooed cheek and asked, "But why would I get mad about that Hinata? It's not like you were doing something **bad** right?" _Atleast she included me in the exact same **thought** as Naruto for once. I can... be happy with just that._

Suddenly finding the grass on her left side very 'interesting', Hinata turned herself in its direction and said in a quite voice, "I guess you're r-right Kiba-kun…"

Noticing the change in atmosphere faster than the time it takes for Akamaru to let out a bark, Kiba was at her side in a jiffy and, gently moving her adorable chin towards him with his forefinger, proceeded to ask her… their eyes connected on a slightly 'different' level as compared to before.

"Now please tell me what's been bothering you lately Hinata… I know you better than anyone else so don't think that I'm gonna let you..." The man frowned slightly but held onto his gentle tone, "... wallow in your own problems all alone."

She felt her heart skip a beat and could nearly feel the intensity and seriousness in his deep voice... "K-Kiba-kun…"

"Hmm?" he smiled back warmly.

Seeing the genuine concern and care that was present in abundance within his warm eyes, the girl felt safe and oddly 'secure' enough to pour her heart out for him then, "I-I just... don't know **how** to tell him Kiba-kun… I…"

Willing herself to not let her tears escape, she sucked in a much-needed breath and continued in a more hushed tone, "He hardly notices me now. I-I don't faint or feel nervous around him as much as I u-used to but…"

Placing a comforting hand on her trembling shoulder, Kiba gave her a reassuring squeeze and whispered for her to continue.

"If only I could tell him about my feelings f-for him Kiba-kun."

Letting her use his arms as the embrace of a caring mother and his shoulder as the pillow of a loving father, the dog-nin felt his angel's tears soak his chest and the torrent of quiet sobs were such that he felt himself 'shake' with each small gasp that passed through her lips…

_Poor thing… I can't see her like this. It... just hurts too damn much. That blind idiot!_

Waiting patiently until the last of her sobs had died down, Kiba gave his beloved another gentle squeeze of comfort before letting her pull herself away…

... out of his arms that **craved** for her warmth each and every day.

* * *

><p>Wiping her eyes off with her jackets sleeve, Hinata thanked her closest friend for hearing her out and gave him a small smile that nearly made his heart melt. "A-Arigato Kiba-kun... for hearing me out." She sniffed one final time before giving him a soft smile of thanks, "I-I really needed to get that off my chest…"<p>

Noticing that she had considerably calmed down, the love struck jounin felt that he needed to say 'something' to make her feel better at that point. _Not like she really needs to hear this from me but…_

He bit his lower lip as his chest began to tense slightly in reaction... _I__ just... **can't** see her cry her eyes out all the time._

"Ya know something Hina?" he began with mild hesitancy.

"H-Hai?"

"..." _Uh..._

Her flushed face turned towards his and their eyes met. t was as if the whole world had 'ceased' to exist in that very moment.

Where she saw 'profound' affection and concern in his dark orbs as they gazed deeply into her own lilac eyes…

... he saw fear, self-doubt and sheer unexplainable 'beauty' in hers.

Without their knowledge their hands had sought each other out and had managed to entwine themselves in the other. His right in her left. Just like bread and butter... _Hinata…_

The aforementioned kunoichi realized their close proximity and pulled her hand back as if burnt… **blushing** a crimson red and feeling extremely ashamed of her actions.

Kiba, on the other hand, remained in that same position for a few seconds more and just smiled kindly at her before pulling his own hand back and continuing his previous statement. _Talk about a 'much-needed' interruption!_ he inwardly grinned with slight joy at their little 'moment'.

Clearing his throat and calming his racing heart he said, "Like I was saying Hinata, you **are** a beautiful woman…"

That statement made her look in his direction with blatant disbelief shining in her orbs.

"… you're sweet, kind, caring... and so very gentle. I can't think of a **single** reason why any man wouldn't want you in his life."

Closing his eyes in order to have a clear head, Kiba chose his next words very carefully and, looking straight into the milky pools that he loved so much, said, "Naruto is one such guy who would be **really** lucky to have your love in his life... Hinata."

A warm smile spread from his eyes right down to his lips, "So don't beat yourself up over something that doesn't even matter." A confident glow resonated from his slitted pupils and passed over to hers, "I... know that you can do this."

Grinning at her with a wink he finished with a cheeky remark, "Trust me, you'll knock his socks off once he finds out that he's got such a **babe** after him!" _The ungrateful dope..._

Unable to respond to the lavish praise that had just been showered upon her, Hinata just stared at her close friend while still managing to blush furiously at his last comment… "A-Arigato Kiba-kun. That was so… so…"

Putting his hand on her shoulder and getting onto his feet, the Inuzuka offered her a hand up and said, "Don't mention it Hina… I mean, what are friends for right?" He waited patiently in the same position until she gave him another grateful smile.

Taking his offered hand gratefully and standing up to face him, she noticed for the first time just how tall he had actually gotten over the years… he literally **towered** over all of the other kunoichi in their village in her opinion. _Except Tsunade-sama that is. They're about the same height... I think._

She 'herself' barely managed to reach his nose and he could comfortably look down at her red, flaming cheeks with his trademark smirk plastered over his rugged and handsome face.

_Thank you so much Kiba-kun. I'm **really** glad that you are such an... important part of my life…_ she couldn't help but think in wonder.

* * *

><p>Rubbing the back of his head due to the awkward silence that had just set in, the jounin male decided that it was 'about time' they left. <em>Yeah, the suns going down. Both here…<em> he glanced at his chest, at the spot right above his beating heart... a faraway look in his eyes… _and here._

"Okay Hinata, what say we head on back, hmm?" He placed one hand on his hip and casually pointed up at the darkening sky with a smirk... "It **is** getting dark out."

Finally noticing the lack of brightness surrounding them, the young woman let out a small squeak of surprise, which only made her associate let out an amused chuckle.

"Hehe, you're so cute when you get flustered Hinata!"

_...!_

He immediately slapped a hand over his mouth, shocked at the unplanned outburst from his end... staring in horror at the woman before him, mind filled with dread as to how she would react.

_Ohhh boy… you've done it now Kiba! Is that something you call a 'fully-grown' kunoichi?_

The heat rose to her face, 'deepening' near her cheeks as his mind worked double-time. _But I did want to tell her that since… ever!_

_Ahh…! No regrets about it **now** I guess… _His contradicting internal debate was interrupted by the voice of the woman he had referred to as such.

"W-What…?"

Eyes wider than they had ever been, poor Hinata continued to stare in shock at her hapless friend before bursting out in laughter, holding her shaking sides in sheer mirth.

Removing his hand from its current position, Kiba just watched... amazed and astounded at the wonder woman before him. _Phew! I thought she would run away at that one! Hehe, lucky break there I guess…_

Giggling at his bemused expression, the female finally stifled her soft snickers and, taking her comrades hand in hers, (much to his further shock and disbelief) walked him out of their 'special' training spot and back to the village they called home.

_..._

Looking back over her shoulder she smiled and said, "You were right Kiba-kun…" When he gave her a questioning glance she clarified herself, "… this **was** a very special place… for us."

She had apparently decided to add the last 'bit' as an afterthought.

Nodding his head in compliance, Kiba replied with a simple 'Yeah…' before taking the lead and gently pulling a giggling Hinata with him...

... all the way back to the village proper.

_You've **always** brought me out of the woods… as well as any other troubles that I faced… ne, Kiba-kun?_

The indigo-haired woman smiled secretly to herself while her energetic teammate continued his one-minded charge, with her by his side, out of the last few trees ahead of them which fell in their path. "C'mon Hina let's get you home!" he yelled with boundless energy, eliciting another set of giggles out of his gorgeous 'girl' friend…

_Haha! Atleast **I** can call her that right?_

* * *

><p><strong>Back in the village<strong>

An extremely ruffled jounin was pacing back and forth in the main compounds of his clan's manor… hands clasped behind him and a look adorning his face that could melt stone. To say that this young man was... 'annoyed' would undoubtedly be the understatement of the century.

Neji Hyuuga, in short, was **quite** livid… _I'm sure that stupid mutt found some excuse to get in her pants. If I get my hands on him I'll…!_

His murderous thoughts had to be left for another day, as entering through the main gate of the 'Hyuuga Manor' were none other than the very two individuals that were responsible for his lack of sleep.

_About **time** they got back…_ the proud male 'hmphed' in annoyance.

_..._

Slowing his pace down a notch as soon as he saw the approaching residence of his still giggling teammate, Kiba sighed and loosened his grip on her soft hand. _There's no place like home I guess…_

Noticing the tall figure prowling near the main gate, it didn't take long for him to figure out exactly **who** that person was… _Well, well. What have we here?_ he smirked in apparent amusement. _Guess I kept ol' Neji-niisan up late tonight…_

Turning towards his companion he grinned and thumbed in her cousin's direction, "Look who's stayed up late to welcome you back home Hinata."

Putting her hand over her mouth, the startled woman looked at the looming individual with her eyes wide... yet again, before stuttering out in a weak voice, "N-Neji-niisan?! What are you d-doing out so late?"

Heading over to them, whilst giving off the aura of a man who could (and would) kill anyone who dared to disagree with him, Neji nearly yelled at her, "Isn't that something that **I** should be asking you Hinata-sama?"

Slightly peeved at his loud tone, Kiba threw him a look of irritation, which went ignored by the stoic jounin. The man in question however, seemed regretful for losing his composure in the heat of the moment... _Calm yourself down Neji. Relax, its not the 'first' time that you've had to deal with him…_

Folding his arms across his chest he waited for her response.

Hanging her head low in embarrassment and discomfort with how things had escalated from 'cheery' to 'constricting' in the space of a few seconds, Hinata replied, "U-Um I know that we were out for quite some time niisan but…"

She caught the encouraging smile from her compatriot and continued in a more confident tone, "… I think you should understand that training **does** take up a lengthy amount of time for us to complete."

Glaring at her and then at her partner, Neji proceeded to ask him some questions.

Undeterred by the disgusted look that the Hyuuga was throwing his way, Kiba buried his hands deep in his pant pockets and grinned. _Seems like the grouch is not gonna let me off easy tonight, Hehe…_

"So, what's up Neji? How's your 'new and improved' gentle fist goin'?"

Reeling in his retort, the pale-eyed male just snorted and said, "Don't act cocky with me Inuzuka… just answer me this…"

Changing his amused grin to a thin line of curiosity, the dog-nin replied, "Alright... shoot."

* * *

><p>Smiling for what seemed like the first time that day, although with a sinister tinge present within, Neji inquired, "What are you... aiming for with my cousin?"<p>

"…?!"

The question had gotten both, Kiba and Hinata, completely off guard…

_W-Wha…? What's he getting at?!_ the brown-haired jounin inwardly growled. His worried teammate, obviously enough, wasn't doing much better either...

_N-Nani?! What did niisan mean by that?_

Enjoying their expressions of horror and surprise, the tall jyuuken user ploughed on, "Don't think for even a **moment** that I'm not aware of your intentions with her Inuzuka!"

"..."

Okay…

... **now** he was getting pissed, and by that he meant 'really pissed' at the smug man standing proudly before him. "If you weren't Hinata's cousin Neji…" He sent an absolutely bloodthirsty look his way, his pronounced canines bared threateningly, "… I would **kill** you where you stand!"

Chuckling in mock laughter, the Hyuuga male smirked evilly, "I'd like to see you try... mutt!"

Extremely nervous due to the turn things had taken, Hinata felt it was 'high time' that she intervened before things got **really** ugly between the two angry men.

"Stop it both of you!"

_...!_

Turning towards the agitated female as soon as her shrill voice reached his ears, Kiba forgot all about his rage and, giving his distasteful ally another glare, silently turned around to leave… _Guess that's enough insult for one day. Alright Kiba, get the fuck out of here before you **actually** kill somebody…_

Watching him leave with such a dejected look about him, Hinata thought to herself, _Without even saying goodbye… that's just not done Kiba-kun._

Stopping him in time by grabbing his left hand with both of her own, she smiled and said, "I-I really enjoyed going to that special spot with you Kiba-kun."

Turning his head over to look at the breathtaking sight of her angelic face that awaited him, he smiled back and replied, "Pleasures all mine Hina." Thinking quickly he added, "I'll... take you there again if you want."

Beaming with relief, she responded quickly with a 'Hai! I'd love to!' reply and waved him out the gate, her heart relaxing considerably once she witnessed his easy-going smile return to his lips.

Giving a fleeting glance to her relative, Kiba calmly called out to the latter, "Hey Neji…"

Staring at the back of his head, the Hyuuga asked, "What Inuzuka?"

Without even turning around, he continued his prior statement, "I wasn't 'after' your precious cousin ya know… I was originally gonna head over to you so we could have a little match."

He smirked, while waiting for his admittance to sink in, "But once I picked up Hinata's scent I decided that she was far more worthy of my time than you could **ever** be."

"!"

With that said, the brunette made his way home... leaving a blushing woman and 'red-faced' man behind.

_Kiba-kun..._

_..._

* * *

><p>Recovering from her partner's declaration, Hinata sighed deeply and headed for her room, which was on the first floor of the large manor; heart and mind literally exhausted from the eventful day...<p>

... before being stopped by her persistent cousin. _Tsk! What now?_

Facing him with sleep threatening to overtake her tired vision was not something, which she was very 'keen' to accomplish.

Nevertheless, she asked him politely as to what he wanted, "Hai, what is it niisan?" _Please be quick... I'm really tired_.

Squaring his shoulders and adopting a hushed tone he inquired, eyes cold as he spoke, "Just what do you do with that freak during your so-called 'training'?"

_...!_

"...?!"

**SMACK!**

Never in her short life did Hinata Hyuuga **ever** think that she would muster up the courage to not only hit her own cousin, but also reprimand his apparent use of speech. For the second time that night, Neji's words had left her speechless and disturbed... but **this**, this remark belonged to a whole different level.

The echoes of the slap resounded all across the empty courtyard and the silent corridors of the manor within the next few seconds... as time chose to stand still for a few tense moments.

Pulling her hand back and sporting absolutely **no** expression of regret in her blazing eyes for her actions, the furious young woman removed herself from her cousin's immediate presence… entirely disgusted by him...

... whilst whipping his face 'uncaringly' with her silky locks in the process.

"..."

He stood there…

... fixated on that very spot where he had just been 'hit', for lack of a more appropriate term, by a woman who he had believed to **never** be able to even hurt a fly... let alone another human.

"Amazing what a few words can accomplish," he murmured before walking noiselessly towards his own quarters... in dire need of some sleep to drown out the dramatic events of the day.

_First Tenten then her... what exactly is going on here?_ he asked to no one in particular.

* * *

><p><strong>Upstairs...<strong>

_H-How dare he! Thinking of Kiba-kun and me in such an **obscene** scenario… and insulting him on top of that! _Her inner ranting at the man she called her older brother was apparently done 'verbally' as she found her mutterings overheard by none other than…

"H-Hanabi?!"

"..."

Standing with her arms crossed on the doorway to her left was indeed the second born child of Hiashi Hyuuga.

Coming into her older sister's complete view the younger girl asked, "What are you doing up so late Hina-nee?"

Fumbling for a reasonable explanation was not required on Hinata's part because her sharp sibling easily caught onto what she was about to offer her. "No need to answer that. I know that you and niisan had a… fight downstairs. What I wanna know is **why** you slapped him."

Impressed and 'slightly' alarmed at the youngster's perceptive ability, the indigo-haired woman sighed and narrated to her the entire series of events that had occurred mere minutes ago…

_...!_

Letting out a small whistle at what she had just heard, Hanabi grinned at her older sister before saying, "Well, I don't know whether it was 'the best response' to give to a nosey question like that… but I've gotta say what you did was **amazing** Hina-nee!"

Smiling at the younger girl who she had always wanted to look up to her and for whom she had tried to fulfill the role of a mother all her life, Hinata just gave her a warm hug and bid her a goodnights sleep.

Receiving a small grin in return, the sleepy woman wordlessly headed for her own personal haven… her mind feeling slightly more at ease for some unfamiliar reason.

"..."

Outside the confines of the eldest daughter's bedroom stood a teenager who possessed intellect 'far beyond' the type seen in youngster's her age. _Baka neesan… you really can't tell just how **much** that wild mutt loves you huh?_

Praying silently for her sister's health and well-being, the dark-haired girl returned to her bed and promptly resigned herself to the irresistible clutches of sweet slumber…

_Only Kami-sama can help your love life now neesan!_ she giggled secretly to herself before dozing off with thoughts of having a certain 'dog-nin' as her future brother-in-law floating around her mind.

_..._

Shuffling in her cozy blankets, the indigo-haired woman felt a sudden restlessness overtake her. Getting out of the inviting embrace of her bed, she walked over to her bedroom window.

_(Sigh) Maybe I shouldn't have hit niisan like that…_

Thinking back to the stressful events of the afternoon and the past few minutes, Hinata wrapped her arms around herself, as she was wearing nothing but her nightgown and the night was quite chilly. _O-Oh… the breeze… it's quite cold tonight._

An image of her supportive teammate appeared in her head, successfully extinguishing any remaining traces of coldness that she had initially been at the receiving end of. She could only smile at his kind words and think, _Kiba-kun was so nice to me today… I'm **glad** I got to tell him about my problem. He's always listened to me and given good advice._

Catching a glimpse of the moon that hung over the starry sky, her eyes softened as she let out a silent prayer for her friend... _Dear Kami-sama, please give Kiba-kun all the happiness in the world and always keep a smile on his face… I pray that he is blessed with all of those things that his heart desires…_

Closing her eyes, she let out a soft sigh, _… because he's such a dear friend of mine. Arigato…_

Glancing up at the gleaming moon once more and satisfied with her wish, Hinata made her way back to the warmth of her cot with only thoughts of joy and relief flowing through her mind.

_Thank you Kiba-kun… for everything._

* * *

><p><strong>Somewhere in another part of Konoha<strong>

Trudging along at an agonizingly slow pace, a young shinobi made his way to his humble abode… whilst reflecting on the day's events in his head.

_What a day… what a day…_

Taking in a deep intake of breath, he blew it back out to warm himself against the chill of the night. _Was a stupid idea to get in that arrogant bastard's face but he hardly left me any choice._

Grinning to himself he thought further, _I don't even **wanna** imagine what he's gonna be up against if he gets Hinata angry with him! _Shaking his head he decided that the previous idea was highly unlikely to ever materialize.

_I mean come on… Hinata would never hurt a fly even if it annoyed the hell out of her! _A scenario of that actually happening almost made him 'laugh out loud'.

_Yeah right! She's such a cute little thing that she'd actually keep a first aid kit ready for use **waaay** before she even hits the guy!_

Noticing the moon re-emerging from behind the cover of clouds he murmured, "Hmm, now why does that remind me of someone?" Turning a flushed colour at the notion he shook his head and added a jolt in his steps… aiming to reach his destination faster than he had previously planned.

_Home sweet home here I come…_

Breaking into a small jog, he thought back on the day's events in further detail and found a remarkable amount of things to be to his liking. _It was a great day actually. I still can't believe that Hinata confessed all of her deepest feelings... to me._

Glancing at the trees that passed him by as he surged ahead he thought, _Heh, I shouldn't be surprised. She's always told her problems to me and me alone. Man... I just hope that I gave her good enough advice back there._

Feeling his eyes well up, Kiba frowned and refused to let himself weep, _C'mon buck up you ass! You **knew** that this day was gonna come sooner or later…_

Closing his eyes to stop from breaking down in the middle of the street he finished his internal debate, _I'm just... happy for her right now. _He later saw his house appear in the distance and murmured, "No one deserves to be more happier than you Hinata…"

Having reached the modest dwelling, the tired young man slowed his pace and finally came to a halt at his front porch... a lone thought passing across his mind as he raised his hand up to knock. _Wonder if mom and Hana are awake…_

Glancing at his watch he frowned deeply, _It **is** pretty late… 11:05 pm. Wooo, I'm sooo dead._

Preparing himself for the onslaught that may be awaiting him beyond the front door of his **own** house, Kiba cleared his throat and tried to make himself as presentable as possible. _Not that it really matters anyway. Mom never really cared about how I looked… the old bat would just whack me over the head if she ever saw me even 'trying' to look clean._

He nevertheless sucked in a deep breath of reassurance and waited...

Tapping his foot on the stone plating beneath him, the dog-nin fidgeted with impatience and was just 'about' to knock again when the door was suddenly slammed open…

… right in his face.

* * *

><p>"YOW! Damn-!" The searing pain shot up to his temples and made his head throb badly before he held it together with his hands, trying to avoid passing out.<p>

Popping an eye open to see the culprit in the flesh, the Inuzuka groaned in pain once more and this time it was the 'very same person' who gingerly ruffled his hair and took him in.

"You really ought to be more careful you know," his gruff mother told him while he just growled silently back in response. _Look who's talking! Ow…_

Smirking at him, she added, "Aww, my poor pup. Let's get you some dinner."

The chuckling woman gave her son a toothy grin, a glint of mute amusement appearing in her feral pupils at his annoyed expression... "How's **that** sound?"

Letting her sit him down in an easy chair, he just nodded quietly and laid his head back, sighing lowly.

_I wonder what took him so long to get back today? He was later than usual and doesn't even look all that hungry… _Tsume mused to herself, bringing out the previously prepared meal and placing it on a small table in front of her son.

"Alright then, eat up boy!"

Glaring at his demanding mother with a throbbing forehead wasn't easy but Kiba 'somehow' managed it.

Sitting up straight and reaching over for the slice of beef that was closest to him, the man dug into his meal with gusto. _Mmm… **man** this is good! I almost forgot how hungry I really was!_

Yawning after a few minutes his mother declared that she was going to head to bed and told him to do the dishes once he was finished. In the course of his delicious activity, the famished male just 'mhmed' in agreement and resumed his late night supper.

As she was climbing up the stairs to her and her daughters room, Tsume took another look at the 'man' of the house and smiled softly, feeling a small teardrop slide down her tattooed cheek… _Goodnight Kiba... sleep well._

She felt it right to add... _You're papa would have been **so** proud if he could see you now, all grown up._

_... so good... yum!  
><em>

Chomping down the last of the roast cutlets on his plate and lifting his glass of water for a quick sip, Kiba gave out a small belch (which, thankfully, wasn't heard by the 'ladies' of their happy home).

Letting out a tired yawn and stretching in his seat, he felt some of his sore bones pop and sighed in relief… _Boy! Guess I was more tired than I thought._

Picking up his dirty dishes and placing them in the sink he thought further, _Hmm… I'm sure I can do 'em if I get up early tomorrow but mom will **kill** me if she finds out I left her this... 'mess' to clean up in the morning._

Grabbing his first plate, he rinsed it with water... applied some soap on it and soaked it in the soapy contents of the filled basin. _Here we go then..._

* * *

><p><strong>A few minutes later…<strong>

Putting the last of the plates in the dish holder, the Inuzuka yawned once more and trudged up the stairs to his 'more than missed' bed whilst running a hand through his messy hair along the way… _Phew! All done._

Crashing down onto the soft surface of his mattress, he grinned softly and pulled his blanket upto his waist. _Mmm… sleepy time Kiba…_ he chuckled lazily to himself.

Suddenly reminded of a certain someone who was on his 'prayer-before-bed' list, he smiled slightly and murmured into the quiet darkness.

"Don't let the bedbugs bite... Hina-chan."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Okay folks, in case your wondering, 'Kirie' means 'Beautiful' in Japanese…<strong>

**Also, for the record, this is NOT a 'Neji-bashing' fic! It's all 'part and parcel' of the character development as such, Hehe!**

**OK, now please 'Read and Review' this chapter and provide constructive criticism and suggestions, if any!**

**This fic is heading for its very 'first' landmark chapter (most likely 'Chp 8') so kindly prepare yourselves people… ;D**

**Until next time!**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter VII: Konoha's blossoming season…

**Disclaimer: I don't own this great series and never hope to either… I'm just that damn poor! (LOL)**

**AN: WHOOO! Over 1300 hits! XD **

**A foreword before you proceed: This chapter includes the other three pairings and absolutely NO KibaHina… =)**

**Alright then, happy reading!**

* * *

><p><strong>A few weeks later…<strong>

Walking along at a relaxed pace was a jounin who had 'been there' and 'seen it all'.

One who had been an integral part of the cataclysmic... the chaotic…

... **and** the cheerful events that had graced the village of her birth throughout the developing years of her life as a shinobi.

_What an adventure my life has been so far…_ Sakura mused with a small smile, moving a few stray strands of her pink locks out of her face.

Leaves of a brownish-green colour flew by her face as she continued her stroll across the stony path that led to 'Konoha Academy', recollecting memories of days gone by... _It all seems like a distant dream now. Like something that had happened only yesterday._

Sighing again, almost wistfully, the young woman noticed a pair of swallows chasing each other in the sky above her.

Pulling her hair out of her eyes, she breathed in the fresh morning scent of the trees around her, smiling at the refreshing aroma of the nature that she was surrounded by on both sides. _Today's turning out to be such a good day…_ a smile slowly began to form upon her lips.

Raising her arms above her head and cracking her knuckles to loosen her sore body, the pink-haired medic-nin felt quite a few other bones in her spring to life with resounding 'pops'. _Aah... **much** better. I think I'll head over to Tsunade-sama's and see how she's doing. I really haven't gotten the time to pay her a visit in recent weeks._

For once, Sakura honestly wished that she had **not** chosen the field of medical prowess... seeing as it hindered her ability to even pay her mentor a visit every now and then.

Her plans were brutally and downright mercilessly **dashed** however... because...

... heading her way… was none other than the 'No. 1 knuckle-headed ninja' of the Hidden Leaf.

"...!"

Whipping her head in the direction of the incoming 'abomination', she could only helplessly widen her green eyes in shock. _N-Naruto?_

A mental scream of denial erupted within her psyche... _No, NO! Why today?! Why **now**?!_

The woman felt her head start to hurt as the hyperactive male finally came to stop in front of her and yelled out his trademark greeting… unsurprisingly enough. "OHAYO Sakura-chan! Watcha doin' today?"

Feeling the vein in her forehead throb painfully due to the constant **waves** of annoyance, courtesy of her blonde compatriot, the young woman just plastered on a sugary sweet smile and replied to the former's query... "Oh, hi Naruto. I was just heading over to Tsunade-sama's…"

In the heat of the moment the woman had, unknowingly, resorted to blabbering out her **real** reasons for being 'out and about' it seemed... _Hold it! Don't invite **him** along! DON'T-!_

Sadly, such was the rush in which she spoke, hoping to get the cheery male off of her back...

... Sakura completely overlooked that one fatal error of judgment... **which** she hadn't seen coming!

"… would you like to come along?"

Realizing her mistake at the last second with a look of pure horror on her face, the pinkette moaned in despair, _W-What have I done?_ her legs nearly giving out in disbelief.

* * *

><p>"..."<p>

Staring at his beautiful teammate to check if he had heard right, the jinchuuriki couldn't **believe** his ears at first... but quickly recovered and gave off his biggest grin until his face literally started to hurt. _Yosha! I get to hang out with Sakura-chan! Oh boy!_

Clasping her soft hands (which held a 'whole lot' of monstrous strength within as he would tell you!) within his own as gently as he could, Naruto looked deeply into the emerald eyes that he had loved and adored since his childhood and whispered, "I would love to accompany you **anywhere** Sakura-chan."

He finished off his vow with a quick wink that exuded unabashed confidence.

Blood rushed to the female's cheeks as she tried, and failed, to keep a straight face in front of the handsome jounin who had her hands entwined with his own; his scanning of her emerald orbs with his own **blue** ones ongoing. _Wait… handsome?! Where in the world did that come from?_

Looking away from his gaze for a moment she further added, _It's not like he's **not** good-looking, but… mo! What's happening to my head?_

Giving up with a sigh, Sakura merely gave the overexcited blonde a weak smile and received a broad grin readily in response, which... strangely made her heart flutter... if only 'slightly'. _Naruto… what is this? What are you doing to me nowadays?_

"..."_  
><em>

_She's looking **so** pretty today dattebayo! Hmm, maybe I can try out for a date again..._ the future Rokudaime Hokage thought with optimism, smoothly joining her as they headed over to their supreme leader's office.

Frowning with a fox-like look in his eyes, he snorted, _Hmpf! Why did I agree to go visit Baa-chan of all people? It was supposed to be my off day today-ttebayo! _He readily slumped his shoulders with a depressed sigh when..._  
><em>

... his prayers were apparently answered.

"Hold on Naruto."

Looking at his guide in confusion, the man raised an eyebrow in question... "Nani?"

Turning towards him the kunoichi opened her mouth… and immediately closed it back up. Naruto had easily picked up on the fact that she had wanted to 'tell him' something... but had (obviously at the last moment) decided against it.

Scratching her cheek in mild embarrassment, Sakura silently gestured for him to follow her instead… _It'll be wiser to just take him along. That's definitely better than having to explain the **whole** idea to him._

Shrugging his shoulders in a nonchalant fashion, the hero of the leaf obediently followed his crush back along the path to the main village. _Wonder what Sakura-chan wants to do? _Soon noticing the 'barely visible' stalls just ahead, the male felt a **sick** feeling crawl up his spine and a heavy load drop down his gut…

_Oh... no. I should have seen this coming._

Shaking his head and sucking up his oncoming paranoia of 'shopping' with the medic, Naruto thought to himself in his signature style, _Meh! I don't care how much shopping Sakura-chan puts me through today, I'll **still** come out on top cuz that's my ninja way dattebayo!_

"..."

His companion merely bonked him lightly upside the head and literally 'ordered' him to hurry up and not fall behind..._  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong>Konoha Main Bazaar<strong>

He wouldn't have made that 'hard-to-keep' promise with himself had he known exactly **how** taxing this shopping trip was going to get… _Uhhh..._

The hustle and bustle of the market stalls was something, which had never really appealed to one such as him in the past... and it certainly did **not** at present either.

Rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly he asked, "Maa maa… so why are we here Sakura-chan?"

Turning back to look at the boy who once (and still) lacked almost all the known and unknown forms of tact, Sakura felt herself smile and thought, _He's so sweet sometimes when he's not even trying… (Sigh) I guess I'll cut him some slack._

Winking in his direction playfully, she declared, "To shop of course!" She could have sworn that she felt a sense of 'overwhelming' power over the man when she said that to his face…

Colour drained from the entire outline of his 'once upon a time' bright face as quickly as human reaction speed would allow and he only managed a, "W-What?" in reply... causing the medic to start grinning in amusement, _Baka…_

Poking him on the forehead she repeated, "Uh-huh. You heard me right the first time mister. Now come on…" Sakura heaved a couple of bags upon one arm and smirked his way, "… hurry up and help me with the bags."

Sighing in defeat, the young man sucked in a deep breath and decided to accept 'said challenge' head-on... like a man. _It's okay if I do this-ttebayo! I'll just think of this as a type of… of mental training! Yeah! That's **exactly** what I'm gonna do…_

With a renewed vigor, Naruto 'himself' led the way to the nearest stall...

... and hand-picked some of the best new designs of 'kunoichi wear' for his teammate in earnest... whilst obviously overlooking the obvious fact that he had next to **zero** knowledge on the damn thing.

It was certainly **no** surprise then to witness Sakura slap her palm onto her forehead in mortification._ Why me... why?  
><em>

"Ne ne Sakura-chan... do you like this in purple... or green?" a cheery voice penetrated her senses.

"...!" _WHAT?!_

"DON'T PICK OUT PURPLE THINGS BAKA NARUTO!" the flustered woman nearly screeched, mortified at the very **thought** of having to go around wearing clothes that would resemble the ones worn by her 'rival'._  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong>Meanwhile, in the main grounds of the Hyuuga manor…<strong>

Pushing his body to its breaking point **this** early in the morning might have seemed like a reasonably wise choice in the long run, but Neji was, at the moment, having mixed feelings about his hasty decision.

Winding his flurry of hits down a notch and relaxing his stance, he eventually stopped and took in a much-needed gasp of fresh air. _Maybe I should have warmed up properly first before beginning today's session._

Dismissing the contradictory thoughts, the Hyuuga decided to take a break from his strenuous activity, opting to do some meditation instead… _at least until I feel upto it once more. _For him, training the mind was undoubtedly 'as important as' training his physique; polishing up of his deadly techniques being of prime importance as well.

Grabbing his water bottle and spraying a good amount of the cool liquid over his burning face and neck, he headed over to meditate by the large tree in the central courtyard of the manor… cricking his neck along the way to relieve some of the tension that had gathered around the large muscle from his prior workout. _Hmm… I certainly should have warmed up earlier._

"..."

_... much better, glad that's out of the way._

Having finished with his 30-minute long meditation, Neji thought back on his behaviour with his cousin a few weeks prior... feeling an unusual pang of guilt build up in his chest as he did so... _I 'suppose' that I was a bit of line with Hinata-sama that night…_ he mused, emotional disorder creeping up on his conscience.

Searching the deepest recesses of his mind for a viable solution on how he could resolve the 'delicate' situation surrounding him and his soft-spoken cousin, the Hyuuga male got up from his seated position and decided to take a small stroll around the compound... whilst being deep in thought... _An apology would** certainly** suffice but…_

Closing his eyes he sighed, _I guess that I would have to make it sound sincere in itself._

"..."

All of a sudden... a brainwave hit. _!_

Thinking it over thoroughly just to make sure that it would **not** backfire, the jyuuken user slapped a hand onto his forehead... wincing at the force with which it had struck him. _Darn… got too excited there._

Rubbing at the burning sensation gingerly (and hoping that it did not leave a mark), he thought, _So if I apologize to Tenten first, she may be able to provide the perfect method with which I could ask for Hinata-sama's pardon. Mm-hm, it definitely **is** worth a shot... maybe I can fix the situation between her and myself as well while I'm at it._

Smirking at the notion of killing two birds with one stone, the man proceeded to put on his clan's traditional white robes over his shirtless form and head over to where he was **sure** his teammate would be practicing with her projectile jutsus. _I hope this goes smoothly… she still is 'quite' angry at me._

Calming his 'surprisingly' agitated nerves and heading out through the main gate of the Hyuuga manor, Neji smirked and, activating his Byakugan, raced off towards the direction of his female comrade.

_If I'm right, she'll be at the cliff face near the edge of Konoha at this time of day. Hmph, she's **always** being picky about her training spots. _Adding a kick into his speeding approach, he leaped from tree to tree; sturdy form crisscrossing between canopies of branches along the way...

"..."

_A polite start to the conversation would be appropriate, especially considering that she has been quite... 'temperamental' whenever we're together._

"...!" _Found her..._

Seeing her athletic silhouette appear in the distance, the Hyuuga felt his heartbeat increase by a few notches…

... surprised at the reaction, he frowned in apparent confusion for the latter... _What was **that** for?_

* * *

><p><strong>In more 'urban' surroundings<strong>

Letting a bored groan pass through her lips, Ino put a hand over her open mouth and finished up with her long-pending paperwork… _Yawn!_

Getting up and dusting herself off, it was quite obvious that the young kunoichi did **not** have any pleasant thoughts about her lazy teammate circling within her subconscious. _That… lazy… cloud watching… grrr! **Who** does he think he is, giving us so much of paperwork… and on our day off too!_

Glancing in the direction of her burly partner she eventually felt her anger dissipate. It was as if just 'looking' at the peaceful and cheerful smile on his face would make the blonde forget all of her troubles... _(Sigh) He **does** have that effect on people. I've never, ever seen him complain about any of the stupid shit that Shika makes us go through._

Indeed, Choji Akimichi had proven to be pretty much like a 'stress buster' for the inhabitants of the Hidden Leaf village in recent years. Having long since lost his chubby frame; the latter having been 'replaced' with rippling muscle and solid mass, he was definitely much easier on the eyes at present... it seemed.

The above facet actually proved to be quite beneficial as he could now use his clan's trademark jutsu **without** having to consume large quantities of foodstuff soon afterwards to maintain the amount of chakra flowing through him...

_It was the single best thing that ever happened to him I guess..._ Ino mused, a smile playing at her lips.

The loss of the excess weight surrounding his physique had also 'enhanced' his public image to a great extent she observed._ Not that he really needed it to be; being one of the **heroes** from the last War anyway. People wouldn't have been able to avoid him even if they wanted to._

The change in image had also, in a strange 'twist' of fate, affected the emotions of the young females of the village towards him. Young, promising genin and the more experienced chuunin also formed a **major** part of those who now chased after him, turning him into a role model of sorts._ Similar to that Naruto._

Grinning to herself, the platinum blonde thought further, _Poor Choji's got his hands full with them nowadays, Ha-ha!_

Realizing that he had been waving at her to come and join him for quite some time, she blushed and, rubbing the back of head sheepishly, went over to sit down beside her old friend.

"..."

Smirking at her flustered visage, the jounin felt it 'absolutely necessary' to make a remark on it… "Well now… did I 'disturb' your daydreaming? Ino~chan?" He added the 'chan' to get under her composure, knowing that the feisty woman would definitely give him **hell** for it later.

The gamble paid off soon enough... due to the blonde female sporting cheeks of a bright magenta._ Hehe, poor Ino **always** falls for that one!_

Glaring at the cheeky man and punching his thick shoulder with a considerable amount of force, aware of the fact that a light shove would not suffice, she gave him a smirk of her own upon hearing his yelp of pain… _He may be the poster boy now, but he's **not** gonna make me loose face… no way, no how!_

Rubbing the slightly bruised muscle with his large hand, Choji comically wailed, "Hey! What's the big idea Ino, it was just a joke you know…" His tattooed cheeks were pulled slightly inward in a sort of pout, making the young woman nearly burst out with laughter...

_Oh my god, Choji looks so cute that way! I **gotta** make him get mad at me more often._

Deciding to instead cross her arms and look away from him with a pout of her own, Ino shot back with a quick retort, "Well... then you should think 'twice' before saying whatever comes to your mind Choji!"

"..."

Feeling genuinely guilty upon hearing her comment, the kind-hearted youth felt it right to apologize... but...

_?_

Drinking in the smooth curve of her shapely back with his small eyes, the Akimichi soon found himself in an entranced state; wavering gaze observing the way the wind gently played with her platinum blonde locks... _Wow..._

It eventually proved as **too** much for the jounin to digest all at once however (no pun intended). _She looks so adorable right now. Like a... like a… _he visibly 'struggled' to find an appropriate term to describe the oblivious beauty sitting in front of him.

* * *

><p>Turning over to take a look at her teammate, Ino was seconds away from reprimanding him (about not immediately 'saying sorry' to a lady upon committing a mistake) but was halted in her tracks by the... 'mesmerized' look in the big male's chocolate orbs. <em>W-What does he think he's looking at…<em> she wondered, trying yet failing at being able to maintain her anger towards him.

Completely missing her gaze (which was fixated on him), Choji accidentally voiced the continuation of his inner thoughts out loud, having 'at last' come across the much-required describing word for his female squad member... "Doll…"

The accursed word escaped him before he even had the chance to stop himself…_OH CRAP! N-Now I've done it…!_ he wailed in mental despair, praying that she hadn't caught onto his 'unfortunate' slip-up…

_...?!_

Blood rushing to her fair cheeks (making them resemble ripe tomatoes), Ino Yamanaka could **not** believe what she had just heard come out of her squad member's mouth. Make no mistake, she was extremely outgoing and quite used to being the center of attention (in most cases atleast, preferably **not** the ones where 'certain' men used to send lecherous glances her way) but... **nothing** had prepared her to be 'complimented' in such a manner by her...

... secret crush.

_W-Wha-?! Did he j-just…?_

Startled mind in sheer turmoil, mouth suddenly turning dry, tongue failing to form words… yes, the Yamanaka heiress had begun to show the 'first symptoms' of what a thoroughly **flustered** individual would experience. _U-Uh..._

So she, involuntarily, did the very **first** thing that felt acceptable to her adult mind at that point…

**THUD!**

_Huh?!_ "Ino? O-Oi! INO!"

_She's fainted..._ the man inwardly groaned, running a hand across his thick mop of brown hair; eyes turning left and right lest he be **accused** by a wandering soul of (obviously unintentional) assault on he unconscious female...

_(Sigh!) This just about makes my day._

* * *

><p><em>...<br>_

_Mm... mmn...!_

Moaning as she found herself leaving the confines of unconsciousness, the young woman fluttered her eyelids open to be welcomed with the familiar sight of a spacious room... that she **immediately** recognized to be her very own. _How did I... end up here?_

Looking around she found out that she was indeed **in** her bedroom and **in** her bed. _But… Choji…_

A sudden 'click' startled her and it turned out to only be her door being opened where, standing in all of her elegant glory was none other than her own mother. _Maybe... she knows how I ended up here._

Smiling a secret smile at seeing her young daughter's apparent confusion at the state of things, Izumi Yamanaka sat near the foot of the large bed and said, "How are you feeling now dear? I was **really** worried when Choji-kun came here with you passed out in his arms…"

Blushing at the thought of being 'carried' by someone, and that too by someone like Choji, Ino turned red with embarrassment... so much so that she wanted to be swallowed by the ground below her right then and there.

_Wait a sec…_ a thought struck her, "I p-passed out?"

Nodding with a smile, her mother proceeded to explain how her friend had dropped by with her in his possession... out cold and utterly limp in his strong arms.

* * *

><p><strong>A few short minutes later...<strong>

"..." _Choji..._

Ending the small story, Izumi added in a hushed tone, as if sharing a deep secret, "You know something dear…" Her daughter leaned forward and looked at her with a curious expression adorning her features.

Brushing a strand out of her baby's face, the older woman continued, "I think he... likes you." _Or maybe even more than just that, hmm... hmm!_

Completely taken aback by the bold notion, Ino waved her hands in front of her in a desperate manner; wide eyes quivering slightly... eliciting a set of amused giggles from her mother.

Winding herself down a bit, the flustered girl just crossed her arms and shot back in a defensive tone, "Y-You've got it all wrong mother!" _As always… _Calming her excited tone down a little she motored on, "There is nothing and I mean **absolutely** nothing of that sort between me and Choji alright?"

Noticing the look of disappointment that passed over her parent's face, she added, "We're just good friends mother, teammates too… but…" Sighing and choosing her next words with difficulty, Ino continued, "I don't see him and me being anything 'more' than what we are now." _He would probably never want an overgrown blowhard like me in his life anyways..._ she inwardly added, feeling 'more than' ready to burst into tears.

Smiling at her naïve child, Izumi adopted an understanding tone, "What if he... **doesn't** think along the same lines as you Ino-chan?"

The woman almost 'instantly' got the response that she had been aiming for...

"W-What?"

Satisfied with the look of astonishment that literally 'shone' over the younger blonde's face, she clarified herself, "You should have seen him dear. He was so scared… his face held that look of being completely helpless to do anything for their loved one."

Placing her hand over Ino's, she held the latter's gaze with her own; warmth emanating within, "Now tell me dear, what kind of friend or teammate... or **anyone** else for that matter does what he did for you… carrying you all the way to your house **and** tucking you in your own bed?"

Pulling back, Izumi then patiently waited for the depth hidden in her words to sink into the impulsive young woman's mind._ She's just like me when I was younger, hmm... hmm!_

Left speechless, courtesy of her parent's 'wordplay', Ino looked down at her lap… completely unsure as to how to handle the new piece of information. _Ch-Choji actually did that… f-for me?_

Unable to stop her cheeks from heating up and her lips from turning upwards into a grin, she met her mother's eyes and could have **sworn** that she saw a tear form at the corner of one of them. Reaching over and catching the droplet before it could meet its end on her soft, cotton blanket, Ino let her mother envelope her in a bone-crushing hug that spelt 'volumes' about just how happy the woman was... for her one and only child.

Wiping away her tears of joy, an elated Izumi said, "Didn't I say that someday you'll find someone for yourself Ino?"

Releasing her hold on her mother, the young kunoichi just nodded in agreement, feeling more connected to her parent than she had ever felt before. _Guess I owe you for more than just **one** kindness Choji!_

Her mother's latest wisecrack managed to hamper her flow of merriment soon enough though...

"Of course, **any** man worth his salt would need to tolerate your attitude first!"

Glaring half-heartedly at the giggling woman with a pout, Ino got out of bed and headed over to her bathroom; hair whipping behind her form as she walked. Surprised and mildly curious, Izumi asked, "What's wrong dear? Are you going somewhere?"

Looking over her shoulder, the platinum blonde just smirked and replied, "Well, first I'm going to clean myself up and then…" she added with a gleam in her eye, "… I've got to go get some... answers." With that said, she closed the door behind her and proceeded to clean herself off, blushing the entire time in anticipation of her upcoming 'plans' with a certain good-natured hunk…

_Just you wait..._

* * *

><p><strong>Back at the Bazaar<strong>

Puffing and panting under the strain of having to carry all of the heavy bags in his arms, Naruto found that his pitiful cries of exertion fell upon deaf ears as his teammate continued on with her shopping at an 'agonizingly' torturous pace.

Readjusting 'said' bags one upon the other with slight difficulty, the jinchuuriki followed the female through the hustle and bustle of the main stalls present in the bazaar... panting the entire time like a greyhound… _Phew! I hope she gets done soon... I'm hungry._

Bombarded with thoughts of his favourite food **wasn't** the best thing to happen to Naruto at the moment however, as it caused his grip to slacken and his mind to wander off to that utopia he liked to call 'hunger'. _Mmmm… ramen…_ he grinned dazedly, making the passing public snicker at the goofy expression on his face.

Glancing at her blonde friend, Sakura raised an eyebrow in amusement at the sight that greeted her, _(Sigh) He's hungry again huh? Guess that's the end of our shopping trip._

She was also inwardly** glad **to have arrived at that decision... seeing as Naruto had begun to wobble even **more** than before, courtesy of his 'imbalance' with her shopping bags. Sighing once more, the medic-nin headed towards the jounin male and bonked him lightly on the head, sporting a mildly annoyed expression. _Honestly, what **am** I going to do with him?_

Coming out of his reverie, the 'Hokage-to-be' opened an eye and looked at the pinkette with a questioning gaze, "What is it Sakura-chan? You done with your shopping already?"

She nodded and, smirking at him, just answered with a simple, "Mm-hm! I'm feeling quite hungry right now Naruto. What say we go to a good restaurant?"

Brightening up instantly at the very idea, Naruto beamed his biggest grin (so far) and replied, "Hai Sakura-chan... and I know the **perfect** place dattebayo!" his subsequent excitement nearly causing him to topple over with **her** precious cargo in tow…

"Let me guess… Ichiraku?" she responded, a frown adorning her brow.

Coming down from his high as if abruptly deflated, the whisker-marked male just smiled awkwardly and nodded vigorously, like an overexcited child would.

Letting a sigh escape her, the young woman reluctantly agreed and said, "Hai hai… but first, let's drop these bags off at my house okay? Then-"

_?_

She hardly got to finish her statement before noticing that he had **already** begun his small sprint towards her residence.

_He just needs an excuse to go and eat some ramen…_ Sakura smiled with amusement and followed suit, aiming to reach her house **with** him lest he decided to 'break down' her front door in his haste… _I hope he's not **that** desperate yet but I just can't risk it when he's involved. Honestly, that Naruto will surely be the death of me someday._

Suddenly reminded of just how hungry she herself was via a small 'growl' from the depths of her belly, the medic-nin groaned and increased her pace, _Darn! I knew I should have eaten an extra helping before leaving for work today…_

Coming to a halt in front of the small apartment building that served as the cozy residence of his beloved, Naruto patiently waited for his companion to arrive whilst inwardly thinking about her 'less than modest' dwelling. _Sakura-chan works so hard at the hospital… but she **still** can't afford a separate house of her own yet._

Feeling useless all of a sudden, the 'Hero of Konoha' made a (yet **another**) pledge to himself right then... _T__hat's it, I'm gonna help her to find a new and better house for herself as soon as possible dattebayo!_

Coming back to earth he thought further, _That is... if she'll **let** me, Hehe…!_

* * *

><p>Nearly dropping his precious cargo (again!) during the course of his internal debate, Naruto was quick to catch himself. <em>Phew! Just in time too…<em> he added with relief as he saw the young woman appear beside him from the corner of his eye.

Coming up alongside her shopping partner, the kunoichi went ahead to grab a few of the bags from him... citing the long flight of stairs as the reason.

Staring at her 'sudden kindness' towards him in disbelief, the blonde male just shook his head 'no' and proceeded to run up the stairs with the goods intact, earning a confused look from her in return...

_That Naruto…_ Sakura smiled to herself, feeling her cheeks turn a bit pink at his act of 'chivalry' as she followed him up the stairs to her apartment. Once there, she just gave him a grateful smile (receiving a broad, 'fox-like' grin in response) and unlocked her door. _He's **always** been like that though._

Moving aside and inviting him in, she headed over to her room whilst calling back at him to make himself comfortable while she 'freshened up'.

Satisfied with receiving a labored grunt in response, _He must be putting the boxes down…_ the woman smiled and closed her bedroom door, heading over to a welcome shower to clean off the dust and dirt from her **hectic** morning schedule... _Finally... a nice long shower._

Unloading the last of the parcels, Naruto gave his aching back a good stretch and rubbed his hands before moving to unwrap the items in front of him with the 'utmost' of care and precision. _Better not break anything… or she'll (gulp!)…_ he glanced towards the closed door, which separated him from his crush… _break **me**-ttebayo!_

Unwrapping most of the consumable items first, the male proceeded to open the more 'feminine' items and accessories of the lot… much to his displeasure. _**Why** am I doing this again?_ Naruto wondered in self-contemplation, grabbing one of the above-mentioned items... holding it at arms length at first before giving the foreign object a closer look.

Inspecting the sealed stick of lipstick with an experimental whiff, he nearly **gagged** out his breakfast at the berry-like odor it gave off… _Yuck! Ugh, Kiba would **kill** me if I ever made him take a sniff at this crap!_

Thinking it to be safe to leave the rest of the items for their 'real' owner to handle, he took a seat, sagged his tired shoulders and let his head hang back to induce relaxation… _(Sigh) What's taking her so long?! If I don't get my ramen soon I'll surely **die** today-ttebayo!_

_Zzz... mm... ramen...  
><em>

Nearly dozing off due to his 'unbearable' hunger, the blonde man failed to notice the arrival of his pink-haired companion by his side. _Ramen...!_

Naruto slept on...

Sakura, after having chosen a suitable outfit to wear, had decided to check up on what the jinchuuriki had been upto during her absence... _Oh come on now! You're just being paranoid Sakura, he's a 'grown man' for heaven's sake! _

_... _what she found however managed to genuine surprise her. _Hm? He's asleep?  
><em>

Getting a good look at the semi-peacefulness adorning his face, she pulled a stray bang behind her ear and observed his facial visage further, keeping herself silent lest she awoke him. _He's become so different over the years and yet…_ she smiled upon seeing him reach out to grab an imaginary bowl of a certain 'noodle-based' delicacy… _he's still pretty much the **same** old baka Naruto I've always known._

Before she could stop herself, the kunoichi felt the sudden **urge** to run her hand through his golden, wavy locks... _They look so... soft..._

... earning a slight crease appeared on his brow as a response to her actions.

* * *

><p>"Mm-hm…" a small smile formed upon the jinchuuriki's lips.<p>

"Eh?" _Wha-? _Pulling her hand back almost immediately as if caught stealing from a cookie jar, the medic-nin received the privilege of being the embarrassed culprit of a **now** grinning Naruto Uzumaki.

_Ohhh... what have you gotten yourself into Sakura…_ she inwardly groaned, feeling unabashed about her recent actions for some reason.

Getting up and on his feet; arms crossed across his broad chest, Naruto put on a goofy grin and moved closer to prod his crush about the same… "Hmm, now what were you upto there Sakura~chan?"

Narrowing her eyes at the lovable oaf, the pinkette just bonked him upside the head and muttered, "Don't make me hit you baka…" Some years back, the 'now' mature woman would have sent him through the wall, but (thankfully enough) she had **outgrown** her violent streak.

Pouting in his typical 'genin' style, the blonde felt miffed at the apparent lack of humour that his favourite kunoichi possessed at the moment. _You already did-ttebayo!_

Massaging his sore lump, the young man told her about his 'ever-increasing' hunger and suddenly found himself being dragged by the hand out of her door and down the flight of stairs. _Whoa! Is Sakura-chan that hungry too?_ he mused, unaware of the woman's caring attitude that had just decided to make itself known, not only to just him but its owner as well…

_Meh! Why am I complaining… it's time for some **ramen**!_

Finally reaching solid, 'level' ground, the two famished individuals headed off in the direction of the famous 'Ichiraku Ramen Stand'… hand in hand.

_I really don't know why I'm going through with this but…_ Sakura mused, looking up at her 'lunch buddy' and feeling a grin form at her lips, _I guess his knuckle-headedness rubbed off on me too._

Slowing his pace down to glance at her, Naruto smiled wide and thought, _Wow! It's just like a date or something dattebayo… _Heart and mind filled with glee yet belly lying completely empty, a sudden **growl** from its depths forced the jinchuuriki to increase his pace… taking a befuddled female jounin with him.

_Cha! Make up your mind baka!_ she inwardly growled in irritation, thinking up ways on how to deal with his eccentric ways the next time they decide to go out to eat...

_Wait… next time? When was **that** decided?!_

* * *

><p><strong>In the middle of a vast, unoccupied training field...<strong>

Retracting her chained mace and dispersing the rest of her expended kunai, Tenten wiped the sweat forming on her brow and smirked at her destroyed targets… (her **decimated** and destroyed targets that is!) _Good, that's 28 in a row…_ _but I can still do 'well over' 40 if I concentrate hard enough!_

With that decided the brunette unrolled her next scroll and was just about to summon her arsenal of weapons before…

_?!_

_Hm? Someone's coming here?_

Focusing on the impending chakra of her unexpected visitor, Tenten's trained vision picked up on the approaching 'guest' and it wasn't long before she found out exactly **who** it was. _Oh..._

Frowning with an apparent **lack** of amusement, she thought, _Great, it's him of all people... and just when I was finishing up for the day too._

Coming to a halt from his speedy arrival, dust flying in all possible directions due to the sudden 'fall' in momentum... he promptly waited for it to settle around him; eyes gazing over to his teammate with a strange look about them.

_What does he want now? He'd better not provoke me or I'll… _Clenching her fists and glaring back at him without a care in the world, the weapons mistress gestured for him to state the reason for his sudden visit… whilst keeping **herself** muted the entire while.

Observing the young woman's body language thoroughly (and feeling oddly 'impressed' at the display), Neji thought, _I've always admired her quality of headstrongness but it seems that she has grown to be **infinitely** more fearless than the last time we fought side-by-side in battle._

Moving his sharp eyes up and down her well-toned yet curvy frame, the male couldn't help but feel his cheeks burn… if only slightly. _N-Nani? Why do I feel so warm all of a sudden? _Luckily enough, his 'uncalled for' reaction had gone unnoticed by Tenten.

The unfamiliar feelings that had cropped up in his 'more than just' barren heart scared him, they caused the stoic jounin to fall short of words and all he managed to accomplish was an awkward glance in the direction of their cause as a result… _Why am I having these… these 'feelings' for her all of a sudden? Why now?_

Tilting her head to one side in confusion at his odd behaviour, Tenten wondered, _What's the matter with the grouch now?_

Realizing that she would have to be the first one to break the ice, as usual, she took the plunge… _(Sigh) As if he's even left me a choice in the matter._

"Oi Neji!"

The tall male's ears immediately picked up the call of his name.

"What's the big idea, coming over here and disturbing my training like this?" Folding her arms, the female continued in a slightly calmer tone, "If you've got something to say then I suggest you hurry up because I haven't got all day!"

The Hyuuga simply stared her way in response.

"..."

* * *

><p>Grateful that he had finally found his voice, Neji nevertheless tried his level best to maintain a cool exterior, "I (Ahem) have come here to… to…" His pride forbade him to take the 'intended' route but his sense of justice furiously compelled him to take the long delayed plunge.<p>

_Here goes then…_

"I have come here to ask for your pardon Tenten, regarding my past... indiscretions…" Looking at her right in the eye while he finished, he noticed a great mix of emotions float across her 'lovely' brown orbs.

_Wait… lovely what?!_ he mentally yelled at his choice of expression, utterly bewildered at the very notion.

_..._

Staring at her fellow jounin as if he had just sprouted a whole new head, Tenten was completely speechless for the very first time in her short, shinobi life. _Did he just...?_

"W-What did you say Neji?"

Crossing his arms across his frame, the dark-haired male inwardly snorted... _Hmph! Do I always have to repeat myself in these sort of situations? _Groaning with mild exasperation, he thought it best to repeat his words, "I said that I've come to seek your pardon Tenten... for my-"

**WHAP!**

_?!_**  
><strong>

Getting assaulted across his pale face 'twice' in the space of 24 hours was not something that Neji would have been very proud of (not that he was in any case) but it seemed that 'destiny' had something entirely different written for him in advance; his life having been a pretty 'topsy-turvy' affair so far.

_Why has this been happening to **me** of all people?_ he wondered in mute shock… before getting the opportunity to have a close up view of his teammate's face, brown eyes being on the verge of tears. _Why in the world is she…?_ he began... but was cut off abruptly by her oncoming rant.

"J-Just **who** do you think you are! Huh?!"

Taken aback by a good way at the aggression of her tone, the man thought it best to just hear her out first (lest she lashed out at his face again). _Women... the ultimate embodiment of a never-ending enigma..._ he inwardly groaned.

Not allowing even a single droplet to escape beyond her eyelashes, the furious kunoichi was like an unsteady dam ready to overflow… and overflow she did; emotions bursting forth in a torrent of fury. Wiping away feverishly at her angry tears, leaving only streaks behind, she continued, "What makes you think that just c-coming here like this and apologizing will get you off the hook?"

Ignoring his flabbergasted reaction at her outburst, she ploughed on and continued to vent out her frustrations, "Do you have **any** idea how much sleep I lost over you? How… How much I w-wanted to talk to you after our fight that day?!"

Tenten nearly broke down during her admittance but 'somehow' managed to hold herself together throughout.

Completely at a loss for words by now, Neji just did what his 'untried and untested' instincts instructed him to do. Throwing his false composure aside, he reached out to touch her. Never having had the... 'chance' to do this before, the Hyuuga male was highly unprepared for the act that he was about to carry forward.

_I-I guess she's left me no say in the matter…_

* * *

><p>Placing his pale hands on her trembling shoulders with as gentle a motion as he could muster at the moment, the young man pulled her shaking form towards him. <em>How did it end up like this?<em> he asked to no one in particular, unknown emotions within his heart slowly bubbling up... to the surface.

Shivering uncontrollably in the unsure embrace of her squad member was not something which she had ever dreamed of doing but... the circumstances were such that Tenten found herself unable to pull away from the almost 'welcoming' warmth of the dark-haired jounin.

Patting her back with light taps until she had calmed herself down, Neji felt that he had to speak. He never understood **how** he had said it but in later years he would proudly pat himself on the back at the very same with a contented smile on his face...

"I-I'm deeply sorry for causing you so much… so much hurt... Tenten. If you could forgive me for-"

A small hand blocked the rest of his spontaneous speech..._ ?_

Neji found himself trapped within the depressed woman's intense stare... her dark orbs searching his very own for something unknown to him. Having never seen something so 'worthy' of his undivided attention before in his life… he soon discovered that he absolutely **didn't** want to lose focus. _Not now… but... why do I feel so? What is this… between us that makes my heart rate increase so dramatically?_

Before he could figure out exactly what was happening with his inner clockwork, the hand on his mouth had been abruptly replaced with his teammate's trembling lips... shocking him to such an extent that he felt it to be equivalent to getting a stroke…

… a **bad** one.

"Mmmf...!"

His pale eyes widened 'well beyond' their natural limit, courtesy of the fact that he was receiving his very **first** kiss! _W-What's happening here?! First it's the uncalled for intimacy with her and now... now this!_

Completely bewildered and unable to form the most basic of thoughts, the red-faced male just waited until his quarry thought it to be the best time to release him from her hold...

Reluctantly leaving the lip-lock, which had left her stomach filled to the brim with madcap butterflies, Tenten blushed crimson at the act that she had just committed under the influence of their close proximity.

Gazing into her partner's flushed face, she felt herself giggle despite the highly awkward 'scenario' surrounding them... _Wow! I-I just… I just kissed him! I kissed Neji!_

Sudden awareness of the fact that she was the **only** one doing all the of work made her feel extremely uncomfortable and uneasy however. _B-But what if he didn't like it? Mo! What will he think of-? _Her chin being lifted by the aid of a delicate finger caused the brunette to look up at the man she had always loved in secret…

... who was now searching her 'own eyes' for the answers to his unspoken questions.

_His eyes were what made me fall for him. They hid such pain that... I **always** wanted to be the one to help him face and overcome it... a-and now he's... _Meeting his intense gaze once more, she noticed that he was in deep thought... as if contemplating something.

Neji, truly enough, was weighing his options carefully within his shrewd mind. _I... never even knew that you thought of me in this way Tenten._ Stroking her cheek and eliciting a soft sigh from her lips was all it took for him to come to a solid decision.

"If you... find this to be acceptable Tenten… then…"

"Neji..."

* * *

><p>He left the rest of the story for a later time and proceeded to 'claim' her plump lips for his own, making her moan into his mouth out of sheer pleasure and overflowing need; hearts thumping against each other as they deepened their kiss and tightened their hold on the other... him holding her tenderly in his arms and her grasping his flawless, white robes and entangling her slender fingers into the fabric, successfully keeping a fast grip onto him.<p>

Feeling his way down her lovely, toned arms the male felt her shiver with goose pimples forming upon her soft skin which caused him to deepen their lip-lock even further. _Tenten..._

Neji willingly allowed a 'lustful' groan to escape him… making the woman in his arms push herself even further into his embrace, smothering him with her warmth. _N-Neji…_

Feeling his mental consciousness slipping away from his grasp with the passing of each second of their intimacy, the tall jounin stroked her jawline with tenderness, requesting her to stop…

... to stop and desist before he lost **all** possible control over his actions. _Not that she would currently mind if I did…_ he managed to smirk, despite himself.

Gripping his robes tightly with an almost childish stubbornness, refusing to break free from their squashed position, Tenten just whimpered lightly and opened her glazed eyes halfway to give him a look of longing…

_Kami… how can she be so beautiful…?_ he wondered, somewhat 'lost' in the depths of her chocolate orbs.

Smiling down at her, the Hyuuga watched her eyelids droop ever so slightly, giving her already flushed face an ethereal look.

"Neji… I…" She could not finish, her vocal strength gave out on her at the last minute and she just blushed harder... looked away from the smiling man.

Arms still wrapped securely around her snug waist, Neji put his forehead softly against hers, inhaling her sweet scent… "Yes Tenten?"

Getting a closer look at his face from their close proximity, the brunette saw an unfamiliar expression of inner calm and... _was that… affection?_ adorn his aquiline features.

Shaking her head free of anymore impending thoughts concerning them and certain 'acts' that they could get into, she just muttered, "I... think that I should be going now… it is getting pretty late."_ I can always tell him some other time…_

Taking a quick eyeful of the stars that had begun to form overhead as night fell, she smiled and thought, _How appropriate… hmm... hmm!_

Neji met her eyes once more and replied, "Hmm, it is isn't it?"

Feeling at ease now that they could communicate on more 'normal' terms, the young woman got an idea and ventured to put forward her request, "Uh… would you mind accompanying me home tonight Neji?"

Observing the smile that played over her now reddened lips, the jounin simply gave a curt nod, "Of course…"

With that mutual settlement in place, the two teammates… _Now couple…_ Tenten grinned to herself, headed towards her home at an easy pace, watching the twinkling stars littering the vast expanse of dark night sky above them.

_Oh, I nearly forgot!_

"Tenten…", the tall male said, unknowingly interrupting their mutual peace.

"Hmm?" she glanced up at him in question.

_Okay, just ask her opinion on the matter... there should be **no** room for hesitation. _Clearing his throat, Neji began his query whilst choosing his words carefully, "I actually came here to not only apologize but to… well, ask for your help in asking for the same with Hinata-sama as well…"

* * *

><p>Noticing the sudden dip in his voice at the mention of his cousin, the young woman looked at him worriedly and with an understanding smile gave him the best advice that she could think of.<p>

_He'd need it badly later on anyway, Hehe..._

"Look Neji, knowing you and your (Ahem) ways of blunt speech, you may have really hurt Hinata with whatever it is that you said to her. So… it's best if you just say sorry with an honest heart because as far as I know your cousin, she'll forgive you **without** holding a grudge."

Tenten finished with her positive smile intact, almost giving off a 'nice gal pose' yet wisely deciding against it at the last moment. _Moh! Lee and his silly antics are seriously rubbing off on me nowadays!_

_...  
><em>

Neji looked at her with shock evident on his face... due to receiving not only an answer to his query but receiving a 'sensible' one at that. _Amazing, she answered that one so easily!_

As an addition to her faithful words, the brown-eyed maiden added with a wink, "That, is my personal guarantee to you."

Smirking at her confidence, her escort just held her closer to him as they continued their peaceful trek back to her humble residence; lilting night sky acting as their cover against the other inhabitants of the woods…

* * *

><p><strong>At the 'Barbeque' Restaurant ('Yakiniku' anyone?)<strong>

Barging into the half empty food joint may have not been 'the smartest thing' that the platinum blonde had ever done but it certainly was something that just had to take place regardless.

_Why? As Shino would put it…_ she smirked with an almost feral glint in her baby blue eyes… because just a short distance on her right sat the **one** man who had made her faint, have 'the talk' with her mother **and** take a last minute shower. _The nerve, he's enjoying his beef while I'm here searching high and low and burning up my calories!_ she inwardly seethed, feeling her heart rate increase the more she saw him engorge his meal, like a hungry child.

Heading over to the oblivious male, Ino slammed her hand 'non-too-politely' on the table... nearly making its contents tumble over the edge and onto the planked floor below.

Before the burly (and 'still' hungry) youth could open his mouth to protest against his teammate's unreasonable behaviour, his brown eyes were being stared at directly by the blonde bombshell's blue orbs.

_?_

"You, me, outside now mister…" she muttered in his face before turning around and exiting the restaurant... giving him a fleeting look as she shut the door behind her.

"..."

_W-What was all **that** about?!_ an utterly bewildered Choji wondered, slightly muddled mind recovering steadily from the brief encounter.

_Hey wait! She's awake? Already?_

Not too keen to make his 'unexpected visitor' wait for too long, the 16th Akimichi heir headed out after the kunoichi... whilst trying his best to avoid the snickers and chuckles that were being aimed his way from the other occupants of the restaurant. _Jerks..._

What he found outside was a completely vulnerable looking Ino with her arms wrapped around her curvy frame, trying to warm up her bare upper arms against the chilly night air... _Hehe, just like her to forget a jacket when she's in a hurry… sometimes even **I** feel like there's so much more to get to know about you Ino._

Making his way over to her side, and glancing her way in a friendly manner, Choji wasn't the least bit surprised to find her shivering uncontrollably. _Wearing her regular purple outfit on such a cold night… whatever it is, it really made her leave in quite a bit of a hurry I guess._

Removing his own dark brown jacket and placing it gently around her trembling shoulders, the man just smiled warmly at the surprised look on her pink face… "There, that should do the trick."

"..."

_I-I guess mother was right after all…_ the platinum blonde thought with a small grin forming on her lips, feeling quite warm and cozy after being covered with her admirer's thick leather jacket. _Since when did **Choji** start wearing leather?_

Completely forgetting about her immediate surroundings, Ino subconsciously pulled the open ends of the jacket closer together letting out a sigh in the process, feeling the warmth seep into her internal system... "Thanks a lot Choji…"

Scratching the back of his fuzzy head, the thanked individual casually replied with a 'Don't mention it Ino', as it had almost become second nature for him to be taking care of her smallest of needs and wants without expecting anything in return anyway.

_Not anymore though…_ Ino grinned with a gleam in her eye.

* * *

><p>Drawing her face closer towards her unaware teammate, her advance was quite 'rudely' interrupted by the very same person that she was about to reward.<p>

"Say Ino…"

Freezing in her tracks with a blush forming on her already pink face, the girl held back a growl of annoyance and gave off a neutral expression in response.

Since he was looking the other way, Choji had been 'completely unaware' of what his female friend had been upto... he regardless continued his previous statement, "… why did you call me out here anyway? Is something wrong?"

Not wholly surprised at the worry and concern evident in his kind voice, Ino just sighed and steeled her agitated nerves. _Okay calm down Ino, It's just Choji… yeah, just your teammate who you **think** secretly likes you… hmm, let's do this!_

Meeting his adorably brown eyes with her face flushed and lips partly open, the kunoichi tried to speak with as composed a voice as currently possible, "We-ell uh… I just wanted to ask you something…"

With hands snugly buried in his pant pockets, the taller jounin leaned in and nodded in interest, giving her a 'Mm-hm' in reply.

"Did I, um… pass out the last time we were talking to each other? As in... the afternoon?"

_..._

Rubbing the back of his neck and thinking back to the events of the day, Choji looked straight in her pupil-less eyes and said, "Well, you kinda **did** but... it was nothing serious…" Giving his next words a bit of a rethink, he continued, "… I had to carry you home after that though."

Looking at her with a playful grin he added, "My back has **never** been the same since!"

Smacking him on the chest with a light pout, the young woman just gave him her own opinion on the matter, "Hmph! Consider it an honour that you got to be my 'noble steed' while it lasted. Not many guys are lucky enough to be in your shoes you know!"

Scratching his fuzzy mantle with a quirky smile in place, Choji simply chuckled in amusement at her outburst, finding her whiny tone just too cute to ignore. _Yeah 'lucky' me…_

Coming back from her vanity trip, a thought struck the outspoken blonde... _Wow! Choji carried me all the way home… all the way to the warmth of my bed… and in this weather too._

Feeling her cold cheeks heat up to a maroon tinge, Ino turned away from him to hide her embarrassment.

Surprised at her sudden display of shyness, the male placed a tentative hand on her shoulder in worry and found something that would make his heartbeat halt in its tandem… literally!

_S-Sugoi…_

Gazing up at his warm chocolate eyes with her baby blue orbs as if enchanted by them, Ino felt her heart pound against her ribcage; the warmth radiating from her teammate's body nearly **kissing** her frame. His gentle touch to her shoulder had prompted her to relax and feel 'oh so' protected that, the platinum blonde had realized then and there that she had absolutely fallen head over heels for the burly youth.

_I wouldn't have minded even if he were still the cute, chubby Choji that I had as a team member all those years ago…_ she sighed wistfully, thinking back on their days as young genin at the Academy when she had hopelessly chased after Sasuke.

_Was I an idiot or what?_ she questioned herself, her previous way of thinking making her nearly cringe in disgust.

* * *

><p>Lost in the sheer beauty of the slightly shorter woman in front of him, Choji simply failed to form words... the former's <strong>flawless<strong> sapphire eyes successfully drawing him in deeper and deeper into their never ending abyss.

Ironically enough, the lad who had harboured a huge crush on his squad member since their Academy days found himself being crushed in light of the event that she 'may' reject him and his advances. _I did try to get more… slimmer and better looking for her at first_, he mentally sighed, sadness seeping back into his lonely heart.

_But… Ino would never want someone like me. Why would she when she 'herself' is so… perfect._

Heart 'throbbing' due to the closeness he currently shared with the blonde (and his **own** pessimistic ideas), he readily accepted defeat. _I've never been her 'type' of guy anyway..._

A tender, velvety hand on his tattooed cheek made him take immediate notice however... "I-Ino…?"

His eyes widened considerably as he saw something in her blue orbs that he had been inwardly **dieing** to see for years on end. _What is she...?_

"W-What are you…? Mmmf!" He never got to finish his question…

Hands rendered completely useless, face left motionless and head numbed to the point of literally being called 'brain-dead'… Choji Akimichi was just getting his **first** kiss.

_W-With Ino?_ his mind raged on in apparent disbelief at the unbelievable turn that things had taken.

Fortunately (as far as his breathing was concerned) the blonde released him with a small moan and met his dazed eyes once more, managing to keep him planted firmly in the world of the living... yet this time holding a look that screamed complete and utter satisfaction.

"That's for getting me all the way home safely Choji-kun."

Nodding dumbly in response, the Akimichi heir merely watched her giggle, blush slightly, turn around and make her way back to wherever she aimed to go. Upon waving after her (as an afterthought), he discovered that the after effects of their 'lip-lock' had his brain feeling as if he had been hit by Lee's 'Konoha Whirlwind', dead on his face…

_Wait… CHOJI-KUN?! Did she actually-?_

"Choji-kun!"

Hearing her calling him from a fair distance away, he regained whatever was left of his shattered composure and answered her with a look of pure disbelief.

"I'll see you tomorrow after training, ne?"

In a rare case of 'history repeating itself', the man once again gave a dumb nod in reply and kept his eyes fixated on her temptingly swaying hips until she was well out of his field of vision, grinning like a goof the entire time… _W-Was that **her** asking **me** on a DATE?_

Wondering whether he was just in some amazing dream… _If it is one, I wish to never wake up…_ the bemused man chuckled to himself and began his trek back home... seeking a good nights sleep to help relax his poor, emotionally exhausted mind.

Letting out a small whistle, he grinned in a fit of abrupt excitement, _Today was really something… but... a date with Ino… what could be better!_

Merry thoughts racing through his heart and mind, Choji cheerfully made his way back to his cozy home planning to have a midnight snack of sorts. _It's not **that** late… hmm, I wonder if mum left something in the kitchen… yum!_

* * *

><p><strong>On the opposite side of the 'restaurant'...<strong>

Pumping her fist into the air in a fashion similar to Naruto's, Ino smiled with a sense of victory akin to a great achievement… feeling excited at the thought of dating her 'chubby man'. _Not that he is chubby anymore, at least not with those rippling muscles of his! Ha-ha!_

Sniffing the jacket that she had just 'borrowed' from the kind jounin, the 'flower girl' of Konoha sighed deeply. _He always made people feel so comfortable and natural around him. How could I have been so, so **blind** for all these years?_

Thoughts of when she had reprimanded him for his 'above average' weight and when she had even openly rebuked his lack of physical fitness stung at her heart… a heart that was now blossoming with 'more than just friendly' feelings for the good-natured male. _I really was so horrible to poor Choji…_ she thought, guilt rising from the pit of her stomach all the way upto her heart.

_But, I'll make it up to him. Yeah! That's exactly what I aim to do._

Smirking secretly to herself (and feeling more naughty by the passing second), Ino began to prepare her plans in advance, "Now that I've got you Choji… you aren't going to get away!" _I won't let you be lonely anymore… not this time._

With that settlement in place, the Yamanaka heir 'skipped' her way home, not quite bothering to keep tabs on her age or the time of day... being too preoccupied with thoughts of a kind, brown-haired **and** muscled jounin…

Reaching her doorstep, Ino glanced at the flowers which could still be visible through the front glass of her family's closed shop. _Hmm, I'll call him over here tomorrow. Then we can head out somewhere together._

Spotting a couple of red roses right up front, nearest to the dark, tinted glass, she grinned and rung the bell to her home... a home that she **still** shared and lived in with her parents, apparently refusing to leave them for a place of her own yet…

... much to her father's delight and mother's subsequent worry for her future.

_Mother **did** say that daddy would be home early today…_ she suddenly remembered as the door finally opened to reveal her 'less-than-awake' father.

_Yawn! Who? At this time of night?_

Pulling the rosewood door open with a small grumble, Inoichi Yamanaka wiped at his eyes to greet his night-time visitor... only to be shell-shocked to find his **only** daughter as his unexpected guest. "I-Ino-chan? What are you doing out so late honey?"

His slightly slurred and distorted tone made the cheerful kunoichi suddenly laugh out loud and give her half-dead father a big hug (followed by a kiss on the cheek) making him nearly **rethink** his retirement plans and stare after her as she made her way upstairs to her room…

_Merciful heavens I need a good drink right now…_ the now 'head' of the Konohagakure Intelligence Division after Ibiki Morino had retired, thought with a groan, wondering if his two 'best pals' would be up for it at this time of night.

Hopping up along the steps, two at a time and reaching the upper hallway, Ino nearly ran into her mother who was just about to retire for the night herself.

"Ino dear? You're back… so, was the trip worth it?" her perceptive mother asked the younger woman with a hint of amusement lacing her tone.

Grinning from ear to ear like an overexcited teenager, the platinum blonde replied, "You bet it was! Thanks sooo much mom!"

Enveloping the astonished matriarch in a fierce embrace soon after and then promptly making her way towards her room to rest her exhausted frame, Ino joyfully bid both of her parents good night.

* * *

><p>"..."<p>

_Mom?_

Surprised at the tight hug that her daughter just gave her, Izumi smiled happily to herself, thinking about what all 'serious' mothers would be thinking about in situations such as these… _Grandchildren… _

_... at least two,_ she added with a soft giggle.

Noticing her weary husband at the bottom of the stairs, the blonde beauty curiously inquired, "Ano, what are you doing down there dear?"

Standing bolt upright at the sound of his beloved wife, Inoichi just laughed awkwardly and made his way upstairs in 'more-than-visible' haste... "Uh… I just came down here to let Ino in Hon."

Smiling at the 'obviously' shaken man, Izumi gently pulled her hapless husband into their room and, closing the door behind her, asked him, "Did you see how happy she looked just now darling?"

Giving her a small nod, Inoichi responded with a simple 'yes' and added, "But what I don't get is... why?"

Izumi just laughed and ran her nimble fingers across the adorably dense man's blonde hair. _You really don't understand your own daughter yet dear…_

Winking at the confused jounin, she gave him a loving kiss and said, "Our daughter is a grown woman now dear… it **had** to happen sooner or later."

Scratching his head at her brief explanation, not quite catching her meaning, he replied in a low tone, "I-I guess so..."

Joining her upon their bed, the male decided to finally call it a day with his gorgeous wife sleeping peacefully in his arms. _Better doze off before the night gets more exciting than I can handle, Hehe..._

"..."_  
><em>

_... wait a sec... had to... happen?!  
><em>

It didn't take **long** after that, for the flabbergasted man to find his feet… **and** his voice…

... while still lying in bed.

"WHAAAAT?!"

* * *

><p><strong>At the 'infamous' ramen stand<strong>

Rubbing his sated belly with immense satisfaction, Naruto turned towards his female companion and once again thanked her for the gracious treat... "Arigato ne Sakura~chan…"

Finishing off her own bowl of the famous noodle dish, the kunoichi gave him a small smile. _He never fails at finishing first despite how many bowls he manages to chug down…_

Her current helplessness against the male's infectious grin proved to hold true as the pinkette simply replied with, "Hai hai, you're welcome Naruto…"

Paying for both of their meals in spite of her partner's loud 'protests', Sakura led the way out of the comforting privacy of the stand and onto the dimly lit streets, walking along at a relaxed pace.

Putting his hands behind his head in his typical carefree fashion, Naruto smiled wide and looked up at the sky above them, apparently star-gazing to pass time...

"It's really pretty isn't it?"

"..."

Turning his head to look at his partner with a raised eyebrow, his blue eyes softened as he responded, "Yeah… it sure is…"

Noticing his gaze upon her, Sakura blushed and fiddled with her purse in an awkward manner... feeling flustered and out of sorts.

Letting up after witnessing the affect that his look had on his crush, the jinchuuriki grinned even wider and hopped in front of his favourite medic, face beaming and 'ever so cheerful'.

Crossing her arms and giving him a half-hearted glare, the kunoichi stepped aside and kept on walking, not quite in the mood to deal with his shenanigans at the moment.

"Maa maa Sakura-chan, why were you turning so red just now?"

His voice penetrated her defenses before she could even properly prepare herself however. Without halting her tracks, Sakura replied in a quiet voice, "Let's… just go Naruto... it's really getting late…" she then gently pushed past him and moved onward.

Slightly confused at her unfriendly demeanor, the male shook his head and just jogged back to her side... deciding to let it slide. _Maybe she's feeling cold. It **is** pretty chilly tonight dattebayo…_

Oblivious to the obvious discomfort that the woman was feeling in his hyperactive presence, Naruto followed her silently... all the way back to her apartment.

If only he knew just 'how much' his straight-forwardness had been affecting the accomplished medic recently...

"..."

Reaching for the doorknob to the apartment building, Sakura halted and, inhaling a deep, gracious breath of air, turned back to her comrade, hoping to apologize for her coldness towards him earlier. _I shouldn't have acted that way in front of him… what's wrong with me today?_

She, however, found him to be right behind her... a mysterious look within his blue orbs... _Wh-What is he looking at?_

Closing what little distance had still remained between them, Naruto held her bright green eyes with his own cerulean blue pools… smoldering them with questions upon unanswered questions, one upon the other.

"N-Naruto…?" Her gaze fell to his chin, his neck and then steadily rose back towards his eyes, doubt lacing her tone.

Cupping her cheek gently with his right hand, the blonde male smiled at the shocked and flushed look that passed over her pretty face, feeling extremely joyous at having had the opportunity to enjoy such close proximity with her... "Sakura-chan, I…"

Gasping in realization of what's to come, the medic-nin closed her eyes and felt his breath blow by her left ear, causing tremors to emerge from within the confines of her closed heart.

Suddenly feeling him pull away made her flutter her eyes wide open. _N-Naruto...?_

Said man obviously seemed to be struggling with his words... well, atleast according to her.

Losing his nerve at the last second was **not** something that he had been counting on (atleast initially) but Naruto promptly decided to take it in his stride... _Heh, I was so close to saying it too..._

Grinning at her as if nothing had just occurred between them, he said, "Hm, goodnight then Sakura-chan... sleep well, Hehe..."

A mere turn of his heel and he was on his way home... leaving an utterly confused and emotionally 'drained' woman behind.

_Naruto... I..._

Her concerned thoughts never reached him that night.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Phew! What a whopper that was…<strong>

**Ok people, now the story has finally gotten some steam and things will definitely get more interesting for our two main characters…**

**The next chapter will deal with the '1st Landmark Chapter' of this fic. Kindly 'Read & Rate' this chapter and prepare your reading glasses for the next one!**

**Until next time!**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter VIII: Hinata's Confession

(Part I)

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own the work of Masashi Kishimoto or any other respected mangaka or author… PERIOD!**

**AN: A very warm welcome to you dear reader…**

**Okay, scratch that, this is the '1st Landmark Chapter' for this fic and will make the plot move faster than it currently is. As you already may have guessed it's also a '2-parter' of sorts.**

**So then, onward!  
><strong>

**[NOTE: A landmark chapter is one that is important for the fic as a 'whole' and is not one, which necessarily appears after every few chapters] ;D  
><strong>

* * *

><p>It was a call of desperation... a cry bordering on a hopeful plea... literally the sound of a young lad seeking her assistance…<p>

... at high noon when the sun shone with all of its 'bright' glory over the village of Konohagakure.

"Hinata-oneechan!"

Glancing over her shoulder in surprise; eyes wide and mouth partly open, it didn't take long for the Hyuuga heiress to figure out just 'whom' the voice belonged to…

_Oh my…_ she thought, whilst mentally trying to understand the scheme of things at present.

It was the heir to the Sarutobi Clan and Naruto's self mentored pupil, Konohamaru Sarutobi… the same one who had grown up into an able and promising chuunin alongside the other young teens of his age group. A group that included her own younger sister, Hanabi.

At the moment however, it wasn't the arrival of her junior shinobi that had left her speechless but the 'way' in which he had come before her that did… _(Sigh) Konohamaru-kun did it again huh?_ she scratched her head in understanding, smiling with slight pity at the brown-haired lad.

The boy of 17 in question was currently in an absolutely 'undesirable' position, hanging by the collar in the iron grip of his furious female teammate Moegi. Upon realizing that he had the older kunoichi's full attention, he grinned weakly and waved her way in slight desperation; his tormentor's 'death grip' unrelenting.

"Unhh! Cut it out already kore!" he grunted out at the livid female whilst glancing toward his other squad member, begging for him to come and intervene immediately.

Udon, having grown out a lot himself and currently being the tallest of the three had yet to rid himself of his timid nature... that being the reason as to why he had opted to simply watch from the sidelines as his angry female friend held the Sarutobi heir several 'inches' above solid ground; the latter's feet dangling precariously all the while.

"U-Udon…! Oi!"

"..."

Sighing to herself once more, Hinata smiled at their silly antics, already guessing from prior experience that the boy might have, no doubt, been upto some untoward mischief. Clearing her throat to attract the girl's attention towards her she said, "Ano… Moegi please let him down. You know Konohamaru-kun meant no harm."

Glaring half-heartedly at the kind-hearted jounin who was one of the 'many' older females of the previous generation that she had idolized since childhood, the girl snarled and said, "Ohhh no Hinata-oneechan, you don't know just **what** he had been upto some minutes back!"

Her intense and 'murderous' gaze moved to rest upon the poor boy's trembling form. Said culprit swallowed the lump in his throat, wishing at that point that the ground would simply swallow him up and put him out of his misery.

Dropping the brown-haired teen down roughly, causing him to groan at the sudden impact, Moegi continued, "Konohamaru-chan was peeping in at the women's onsen of all things! Ask Udon-kun if you don't believe me…"

Glancing in the direction of the other boy, Hinata noticed his cheeks turning pink in embarrassment, courtesy of his 'over-the-top' teammates and their usual squabble in the middle of the street.

Rubbing her forehead with her right hand in understanding, the indigo-haired woman looked back towards the younger girl and said with an uneasy smile, "Hmm, I'm sure that he'll not do it again then... ne, Konohamaru-kun?"

The lad nodded vigorously in agreement, giving his now 'calmed down' teammate the 'puppy dog look' and praying that she would let him off easy..._ Just this one time kore…_

* * *

><p>Folding her arms and glaring at him one last time, with a look that promised a 'premature' death if he repeated his indiscretions in future, Moegi just sighed and replied, "Hai hai, if you say so Hinata-oneechan… but…" she cracked her knuckles, eliciting nervous gulps from both her teammates, "… if I catch you doing <strong>any<strong> of those stupid things that Naruto-oniichan taught you again then I'll…"

Waving his hands defensively, Konohamaru gasped out a reply, "I-I understand Moegi! It won't happen again I p-promise kore."

From across the path, she caught the placid Udon readily nodding his head hastily in agreement. Relaxing her stance, the female grinned victoriously and turned towards a surprised Hinata; mouth formed into a wide grin. _Hehe, works every time!_

Effortlessly picking the stunned Konohamaru up by his shoulders, she wordlessly helped him onto his shaky feet.

Watching the way in which the young girl had just exercised complete control over her two subordinates, the Hyuuga female was instantly reminded of how Sakura used to 'discipline' Naruto whenever he used to act out of sorts around other people... during their chuunin years. _Hmm… hmm! She's **just** like Sakura-san now. I really feel so bad for those two…_

Calming her amused giggles down, Hinata bid the trio a quick farewell and saw them head off to find their sensei and self-appointed caretaker, Ebisu…

"See you later oneechan!" Konohamaru called out, leading the way for a 'now' cheerful Moegi and an ever-so-submissive Udon.

Waving at the troublemaker with a small smile, the young woman caught another glance from his timid friend in her direction... the latter simply blushing shyly and looking away... before racing off after his pals with quick strides.

_Hm? I wonder what's wrong with Udon-kun?_

She tilted her head in slight confusion at the teenager's odd reaction, wondering if he didn't like to be around her when...

... out of apparently nowhere…

"Hmm, looks like you've got quite an admirer huh?"

_?!_

A husky voice in her ear startled the kunoichi and made her swirl around in surprise, only to find **another** troublemaker standing right in her face.

"K-Kiba-kun?"

Grinning with his fangs bared proudly for the entire world to see, the taller jounin just chuckled and replied, "Who else would be searching for you so early in the day Hina?"

Looking away in slight embarrassment, the young woman just mumbled something incoherent and turned to walk down the path once more, not bothering to respond to her companion's cheeky answer...

* * *

><p>Blinking rapidly to check whether he had just missed something, <em>The hell...?<em> the ditched Inuzuka yelled after her, "O-Oi, Hinata! Don't just **leave** me in the doghouse like this!" The man promptly jogged after the female to catch up.

Giggling softly at his tantrum, the kunoichi just turned around and held out her tongue with a mischievous glint in her beautiful, pale eyes.

Catching up to her and giving her a half-hearted glare, Kiba crossed his big arms around his chest and let out an absolutely 'ridiculous' pouting fit that had the poor woman in tears… tears of sheer laughter! _I didn't even know that he could do that! Hmm… hmm!_

Pulling his face back to it's normal, angular shape as soon as he saw the adorable giggling fit that the girl was going through, the dog-nin smirked, giving himself an imaginary pat on the back. _Well well, looks like **someone** is in a good mood…_

Waiting patiently until she had winded herself down a notch, he rubbed the back of his head and said, "Hehe, so what are you planning to do today Hinata?"

Rubbing the last of her tears off of her flushed cheeks, the lilac-eyed beauty thought for a while before giving him a definite answer, _Uhm… I don't really have anything else to do today. Training was done yesterday so…_

Finding a 'very' eager male standing just mere inches away from her gave her the push that she needed to hastily provide her reply to his query, "W-Well I don't really have anything in mind Kiba-kun. What were you planning on doing today?"

Donning a serious look for (probably) the first time that day, the male scratched his chin in deep thought, weighing his options in his head... _Lessee here… training, check… Akamaru's checkup, check… mission briefing, double check… hmm…_

Glancing over at the inquisitive look in her eyes, he promptly made his decision. Pumping his fist in the air in a way quite 'similar' to an overexcited Naruto, Kiba yelled, "Yosha! I've got it!"

Looking on worriedly as passersby snickered at his impulsive antics, Hinata gently grabbed his arm and tugged it back down while sporting an uneasy smile on her pale face, finding it hard to not laugh at his silly acts... which reminded her of their childhood.

Grinning sheepishly at her muffled expression Kiba said, "Uh… hehe, gomen Hinata I uh… got too carried away there!" Brushing it off he continued, "Alright then! What say you and me spend the whole day wandering around the village…?"

Meeting his brown-eyes with hesitation, his teammate replied with a hint of doubt lacing her gentle tone, "Aimlessly?"

Shaking his finger teasingly in front of her he said, "Mmm-hm. We're gonna be doing whatever **you** wanna do all day today, kay?"

Glancing at the ground below her in an unsure manner, Hinata said in a low voice, "I-It's okay Kiba-kun, really you don't have to-"

But her partner cut her off.

"No way! Nothing doing Hina, I'm your travel buddy for the day and that's that!"

Shaken slightly by his confident proposal, the kunoichi just smiled at his stubbornness and agreed to have him hang out with her for the day. "O-Okay Kiba-kun if that's what you want."

Winking her way with a devilish smirk plastered on his handsome muzzle, Kiba guided her to the nearest 'dango stall'… which was just opening up for the day; finding it to be 'conveniently' near to where they were presently located.

* * *

><p>Once in however, he realized that he had just made <strong>the<strong> biggest mistake of his life. _Good god, I forgot that they only sell all that 'sweet' crap in here!_ he mentally wailed in agony, clutching his hair comically.

Looking over her shoulder at him in mild surprise, the pale-skinned maiden found him back to his 'relaxed' stance and before she could question him, the latter just shrugged off her concern and suggested that they find a good table. Once he had done so, the dog-nin offered her a chair before getting seated himself.

Hinata blushed slightly and quietly thanked him for the thoughtful gesture... earning a goofy grin from his end. _Silly Kiba-kun_, she smiled to herself, genuinely enjoying his company.

_Wow! I can't believe that Hina and me are almost on a date! Yahoo! _He couldn't help but grin (incessantly) like an idiot at that point, whilst subsequently causing the woman across him to smile back good-naturedly... her hands placed on her lap.

"Ano… Kiba-kun do you like dango?" she inquired, curiosity lacing her tone, bearing a slightly worried look in her adorable white orbs.

Chuckling despite himself, _What have I gotten myself into!_ Kiba replied, "Yep! There's **nothing** like it anywhere in the village Hinata." He fisted his chest as a signal for her to have faith in his choice.

Nodding her head in compliance, she said, "Hai, it's good and Anko-san really seems to like it too!"

Scratching his tattooed cheek with an awkward grin, he couldn't help but think, _Yeah, opposites attract I suppose, that psycho bitch **really** surprises me sometimes. _A raised eyebrow from his 'date' made him rub the back of his head with an uneasy smile and call out for the waiter, "Oi, two plates over here man!"

The server arrived after 10 minutes and placed their respective plates in front of them. Thanking him politely, Hinata pulled her plate towards her and waited for Kiba to pay the man as he had already 'declared' before she even got a chance to protest.

"Arigatogosaimus. I hope you enjoy your meal sir..." The young man promptly moved away to handle the other customers, leaving the 2 squad members to begin their meal.

"..."

Staring at his pieces of dango as if they were something made of **highly** inedible material, Kiba just smiled at his angel as she began to pick apart hers, placing them in an orderly fashion so as not to make 'too much' of a mess.

"Heh, perfect as usual huh, Hinata-sama?" he commented in a playful tone, arms placed on the table in a crossed manner.

Blushing at his use of the formal term, Hinata just frowned slightly and said, "P-Please don't call me that Kiba-kun. I really hate it."

Blinking rapidly 'twice' in the same day, Kiba just waved his hands in a defensive manner and chuckled nervously, flabbergasted that he had just managed to make the shy female 'mad' at him, "G-Gomen gomen Hinata… hehe, I was just kidding ya know…"

While he kept an apologetic look in his eyes, his mind held back his **true** reaction towards her sudden change in attitude at the mention of her status... _Damn, I feel so bad for her. That stupid father of hers… he's been putting so much pressure upon her since childhood that she's begun to hate herself for it the poor thing._

Noticing that she had relaxed considerably and had resumed eating her meal, he smiled softly in spite of the seriousness of the topic surrounding them. _Man, I gotta be more careful around the touchy subjects as far as Hinata's concerned…_

She proceeded to give him a small smile, which he gratefully returned before looking down at his own plate of dango.

* * *

><p><em>...<em>

Kiba felt a constricting tightness in his throat and swallowed a lump that had unceremoniously formed there, horrified at the idea of having to ingest something so disgustingly 'sweet'. _Grrr, c'mon Kiba it's just a piece of dango for Kami's sake!_

He gulped and moved his chopsticks towards the squishy object. Plucking it up, he went to take a hesitant bite of the sweet treat... eyes shut tight in foreboding, in preparation of the impending doom about to occur on his 'ultra-sensitive' taste buds.

Chewing on the delicacy with enjoyment, Hinata stared at her teammate and found that he was having trouble chugging the food item down. _I wonder why?_

The woman thought it wise to ask him about his meal... "Um… Kiba-kun…"

Sweat forming at the back of his neck from the strain of having to swallow the thing, the Inuzuka male groaned in misery. _I can't act like I don't wanna eat it, not now! Not when I've **actually** got Hinata here with me!_

Meeting her eyes at the call of his name, he accidentally gulped down the small dango in his haste to reply to her.

_Oh… shit._

Keeping on a straight face with extreme difficulty and holding back the stinging tears that had formed at the corners of his eyes, Kiba grinned at her with difficulty and croaked, "W-What's up Hina?"

Absently poking at her next piece of dango with her chopsticks, she inquired, "Don't you… don't you like dango?"

Eyes widening quite a bit, he replied in a mad haste, "No! Not at all ahaha!" His nervous blabbering nearly made him 'choke' due to the small delicacy's distaste.

Thankfully, his recovery was rather quick in it's approach... "It's just that… uh... I haven't had one in a long time. Yeah!"

Brightening up at his obvious fibbing, she thought, _I know how much you dislike sweet things Kiba-kun. But if you're doing this to keep me happy then I guess…_ she smiled at his stuffed face, _… I have to be okay with that._

"Oh, all right then…"

With that satisfied response, the male felt a huge weight fall from his shoulders as he continued to torture himself with more of the 'disgustingly sweet' balls of wheat. **(AN: That rhymes eh? LOLz)**

Feeling the awkwardness of silence seeping in, the brunette decided to be the first one to break the ice.

Clearing his throat slightly to get the horrible taste out, he said, "Sooo, how are you and Neji getting along?"

Observing how her grip tightened around her chopsticks he sighed in understanding, already guessing as to why she had reacted in that manner. "You both on bad terms huh?"

The girl nodded slowly, her eyes downcast. Just thinking about the fiasco that had occurred a few weeks prior between the two of them made her shiver… never before in her life had she even **fathomed** that she would raise her hand on anyone, let alone Neji! _(Sigh) I wish I hadn't done that…_

She would be lying to herself if she believed that her older cousin didn't scare her even now, despite the fact that he and her sister had warmed up to her by a 'large degree' since the last 5-6 years or so.

* * *

><p>"Well, um… I've been thinking about that…"<p>

Kiba raised an eyebrow in interest at her admittance, silently gesturing her to go on with a small smile.

Sighing again and popping another dango slowly into her mouth, Hinata swallowed it morosely and continued, "… maybe I shouldn't have reacted so violently to it…"

"..."

Nearly falling off of his chair in a rude shock, the dog-nin somehow managed to hold himself together whereas his brain almost triggered a collapse in on itself in complete disbelief... _WHOA! Hinata and violence? Did I miss something here? _He smoothed his shirt out and sat down on his perch once more with an apologetic expression on his 'still' surprised face.

Ignoring his badly disguised reaction, she waited for him to voice his opinion on the matter with a neutral expression.

"Uh… hm, what exactly did he say to you Hinata?"

The man kept his voice low and serious and Hinata could have sworn that she felt a hint of 'innate' anger in it as well, most likely since he may have thought that Neji got 'physical' with her. _Kiba-kun cares about me so much…_ she inwardly mused, almost smiling at the thought.

Looking down at her plate in embarrassment, cheeks burning just like they always did in situations such as these, she bravely sucked in a deep breath of air and began answering his query… fearful of how he would react to her retelling of the events that occurred all those days ago.

"Well… um, he…" she began but nearly lost her nerve in the process.

Placing his hand gently over hers, Kiba looked straight into her lovely orbs and, ignoring her flaming red cheeks, whispered, "C'mon Hinata, you can tell me… I won't judge… promise." He ended his reassuring phrase with a kind smile that oddly made the young woman feel as if all of her problems had just 'evaporated' from her body.

She sighed softly and voiced her cousin's words, "Niisan said that we… that we… were having a…"

She shut her eyes in deep frustration at being unable to share her troubles with her friend, her **best** friend who trusted her and held no expectations in return for her cooperation. _He's willing to listen, I-I owe Kiba-kun atleast this much. Yes!_

Snapping her eyelids open, she blurted it out, "… an illicit... relationship."

Holding her breath as she watched the emotions play across her teammate's handsome features, Hinata held a brave look and tried not to give off a pleading look instead, somewhat expectant of his immediate reaction.

_..._

Kiba was frozen... and utterly glued to his seat (this time around). He dared not move a muscle in case he scared her by collapsing onto the table itself.

_Oh man… Neji, you sneaky son of a bitch…_

He wasn't livid because of being suspected of exploiting his beloved angel but because Neji had the **nerve** to question Hinata about their relationship and subsequently make her feel… impure… was the only 'reasonable' term that his furious male mind could think of at that moment.

Shaking his head 'clear' of such unnecessary ideas and noticing how worried his female teammate looked because of his motionless demeanor, the Inuzuka held her hand once more, this time with a bit more of an assertive force… tenderly rubbing his thumb over her forefinger whilst giving her his best smile.

"Listen Hinata…"

Her eyes met with his in question and he took his time before finishing his thought, "… you and me have known each other since we were like what, seven?"

She nodded quietly in response, not shying away from his touch.

* * *

><p>Gazing into her soft, lilac pools, Kiba adopted a more serious expression; "If we've known each other for that long then you should know that such things are irrelevant for the both of us."<p>

An attempt to mask her confusion seemed to not work as the jounin male easily saw through her façade...

"Don't give me that Hina, I know you better than that."

Turning pink and glancing away, Hinata couldn't bring herself to face him at that point.

The brown-haired youth sighed softly and decided to just man up and improve the 'rapidly' deteriorating situation. _Gotta cheer her up soon or she'll **never** look me in the eye again. _Steeling his resolve more than he ever had before, Kiba urged her to look his way…

"Hinata, it doesn't matter to me what Neji says, what your father says or what any **damn** person says… you're my teammate, my friend…"

She had tears forming at the end of her eyes by then and he readily wiped them away for her with unconscious perfection.

"… I trust you more than anyone and I'm asking you to do the same… please." Right then his eyes held the look of a lost dog, an individual who had nowhere to go and was seeking salvation from any available source.

Feeling her soft hand over his rough one made him snap his eyes open and gape at her... if only slightly.

Giving him a smile of the quality only real ethereal creatures could boast of, Hinata just said those few words that meant the **world** to Kiba in that one, magical moment.

"I have... always trusted you Kiba-kun."

"..."

Snapping out his daze, the dog-nin just returned her smile before smirking and whispering mischievously, "Uh, you might want to let go now Hinata…" _Although I'd prefer if you held on… forever._

Turning a burning crimson and pulling her hand back with a small 'eep!' the female just returned to gobbling down the remainder of her dangoes in haste, trying to avoid her teammate's amused gaze due of sheer embarrassment.

Laughing outright at the flustered woman seated across from him, Kiba muffled his chuckles to the best of his ability but failed miserably, "Oh god, Hinata…! Y-You're too much sometimes…! Ha-ha!"

Pouting at him and crossing her arms across her well-endowed chest, Hinata looked away in mild irritancy, which made him just stare at her raw beauty, which oozed out 'grace' and 'elegance' all over, in wonder… _Kami, I just wanna grab her and squeeze her into a tight hug. Hinata you don't know just how **much** you torture me every day._

Using his infamous 'puppy dog eyes', which were specifically reserved for her eyes alone, Kiba pleaded with her in a mock-childish tone, "Aww… pwease Hina-chan don't be mad, or lil' Kiba's gonna be very sad!" He finished by leaning over slightly and gazing up at her upturned nose.

Her mildly annoyed expression was rendered completely 'helpless' against the brunette's absurd act, which was (atleast she thought so) surprisingly original and only done by him when they were alone.

_Hmm… hmm! If only Shino-kun was here now, he would fall over laughing!_ she thought, finding it hard to stop the giggles pouring past her lips. The Hyuuga finally regained her bearings and returned her friend's grin, pale eyes happier than they had **ever** been.

Satisfied that his 'ridiculously childish' gimmick had bore fruit, Kiba proceeded to devour the last few dango on his plate, a smile firmly set in place…

... until…

… inevitably...

"YAAAARG! GODDAMN THIS SWEET **CRAP!**"

"... Kiba-kun..."

_Fuck..._

* * *

><p><strong>A few minutes later outside the shop…<strong>

Head lowered in embarrassment (again!) at her partner's over-the-top and **very** vocal expressions of displeasure, Hinata, with her sheepish teammate in tow, trudged onward while the culprit 'responsible' for ruining the meals of the other customers of the dango shop followed behind with his hands buried deep in his pant pockets.

_Aw man! Everything was going 'swell' and then (Sigh) I should've been more careful with that stupid dango… _Thinking it best to be quiet in front of her due to his prior behaviour in the shop, Kiba merely sighed and, kicking a stray pebble out of his path, tried to keep up with his teammate's pace.

Meanwhile his female associate was thinking along completely different lines.

Looking up at the clear blue sky in all its glory with not a cloud in sight, Hinata felt herself admiring the vast expanse of it and begin to get lost in her own thoughts at the same time, thinking over all of the things that had been occurring in her life during the last few weeks. _Huh, I've shared so many special things with Kiba-kun so far that it all seems like a… like a dream._

Stopping suddenly when a thought struck her mind, she waited for her teammate to catch up with her.

Coming to halt a couple of feet behind her, Kiba threw a questioning glance her way, and wondered what could possibly be on her mind. _Hope she's not 'too' mad at me… (Gulp!) _Waiting patiently for her to speak about it, he just shuffled his right foot with unease... glancing around at whatever visible public passed them by.

Finally deciding to voice her thoughts in front of her trusted comrade, Hinata spoke up in a quiet voice... "Kiba-kun…"

"Hmm? What is it Hinata?" He could sense a sudden change in the atmosphere around them and his gut gave off a strange feeling of foreboding as he waited with bated breath for her to continue. _Okay Hina… lets have it._

Making up her mind about what she was going to ask of him, the young woman said in a low voice, but not low enough that his ultra-sensitive ears **wouldn't** be able to catch what she was saying, "How..." She hesitated, "... do I look Kiba-kun?"

"...?"

Frozen solid for the second time that day didn't hold too well with him as he nearly toppled over in shock, barely managing to save his face from kissing the dirt-covered path. _W-Wha-? Where did **that** come from?_

Choosing to simply give her a response, Kiba answered, in as calm a tone as he could muster, "Uh, well… you look great Hinata…" He was about to add 'as usual' into it but thought it best to avoid unnecessary questions from forming in her mind. _Don't want her getting any funny ideas now._

Giving him a look that bordered slightly on scrutiny and innocent doubt, Hinata just sighed and said, "I-I'm sorry Kiba-kun it's just that I… I wanted to know how to make…"

The gut instinct that told him to cover his ears at once went unnoticed by him as she finished voicing her inner thought, "… N-Naruto-kun notice me and…" She broke off at that point out of fear that he would think her behaviour as odd and unsettling, but the dark bluenette was in for a **real** shock when he placed a hand on her shoulder in reassurance.

_(Sigh) I guess… this day had to come sooner or later._

"Hinata, It's fine I can understand…" Kiba said, trying to keep the hollow bitterness out of his voice, especially considering how he was feeling at that moment… like everything that he had ever loved had been **mercilessly** snatched away from him in the blink of an eye.

Having mixed feelings about her situation, Hinata just looked down at her feet in self-contemplation, trying to form the best way in which she could 'share' her intentions with her teammate... "I-I confessed to him during Pein's attack on the village all those years ago…"

Genuinely surprised at what she had just mentioned, the dog-nin waited for her to continue. _So she'd already done it back then huh?_

Feeling a bitter laugh trying to erupt from his throat, he stomped it down with great difficulty, feeling waves upon waves of misery wash over him by the second.

* * *

><p>"I w-was hoping that he would have… that he would have given me a definite answer back then but…"<p>

She felt her courage slipping away steadily as it became more and more difficult for her to keep a firm grasp over it; heart being reminded of the initial bitterness and despair that she had to go through only mere 'days' after the confession had been made...

... all due to the severe **lack** of a satisfactory response from her blonde crush's end.

"... but he never brought it up. It's as if… as if i-it never even happened."

Her sad and dejected tone made his mind go numb and Kiba just gave her shoulder a small squeeze of reassurance, urging her to stay strong without having to use any commonplace words.

"Well…" His aching heart made it extremely hard for words to come past his lips but he persevered nevertheless… unable to bear her sorrow any longer. _This is the time that she needs me the most… **no way** am I gonna back off now. It's time to put myself to the test... for her sake._

Steeling his nerves and taking an absolutely 'necessary' breath of air, Kiba ploughed on, "… you can't really blame him then Hina."

Her apparent confusion made him choose his next words with more caution than ever before, "You know how Naruto had always been before, he used to forget a lotta things and never even remembered things that were important for 'other' people."

Nodding quietly at the bare truth that she had known for as long as she had known the blonde, Hinata felt herself feel a bit more reassured.

"If he's forgotten about the way you put your heart in front of him before, then would it really hurt to try once more, hm?" Brushing aside the crystal clear droplet that found its way down the round slope of her cheek, Kiba cupped her blushing cheeks and smiled with all the warmth in the world, eyeing her lilac orbs with his own brown ones as if trying to coax her out of the entanglements of self-doubt.

"If you feel that it's worth it then give it your all, follow your heart Hinata…" He released her face and winked with confidence shining right through his next words, "… cuz it will **never** lie to you."

"..."

Finding a magnanimous weight lifted off her chest, the pale-eyed woman just stood there with a teary smile on her face that eventually blossomed out into a big grin as the moments passed by... "A-Arigato ne, Kiba-kun…"

Hugging the surprised male in zest, Hinata closed her eyes and felt his natural warmth envelope her slightly smaller frame. She pulled back a bit to notice the big blush present on his tanned features.

Giggled and giving him another small 'thanks' in response, she witnessed his sheepish denial of 'not having done anything' crop up as soon as he found his voice again; a sharp contrast to how he had been during his younger genin years... 'loudmouthed and overconfident' about all that he achieved and conquered.

_He has grown up so much after all these years. It's time that I grew up too._

Mind filled with thoughts of how he had just made the biggest mistake of his short life, but heart telling him that it was the step in the right direction, Kiba returned her affectionate embrace and smirked at her flustered expression… **after** he had regained his own composure that is.

"Well now, you'd better go get him Hina or I might wanna keep you all for myself."

Blushing furiously at his teasing remark, the Hyuuga just smiled back shyly and turned to leave before remembering something important...

* * *

><p><em>Eh? What now?<em>

"U-Um… Could you come with me Kiba-kun. I d-don't think I can do it all alone by myself just yet."

Somewhere... deep within her heart (and for some unknown reason), Hinata simply **knew** that her best friend would not refuse her earnest request.

Any lesser man would have preferred to wallow in his self misery and turn the heartfelt request down… but…

... Kiba Inuzuka wasn't just 'any guy' in this case. _Glad I prepared myself for this day or I would have broken down right in front of her by now…_

Shaking his head free of all depressing thoughts, he swung his hand ahead of her in a gesturing motion, "Lead the way then my lady."

Smiling at his support, Hinata was just about to head on ahead of him when suddenly she noticed an 'all too familiar' relative of hers standing mere metres ahead of her... looking her way with eyes as cold and calculating as ever…

_N-Niisan?_

"..."

Finally having found the elusive couple, Neji Hyuuga let out a relieved sigh.

_At last... it's time to put Tenten's words to the test_, As he headed towards the duo, his head focused upon the various 'ideas' that he could apply to make his apology proceed at a smooth pace.

Coming face to face with the two, he nodded to each in turn and put forth his well prepared words, "Hinata-sama…"

"..."

Not yet ready to look him in the eye after what had happened 'that' day, Hinata just shuffled her feet nervously and glanced in her friend's direction, seeking silent assistance.

"… I've come to... ask for your pardon."

Eyes widening in disbelief, the kunoichi whipped her head towards the man and stared at him as if he had just laid out before her, **the** biggest secret of his life.

"W-What?" she nearly gasped out in her state of shock and surprise.

Closing his pale eyes and lowering his head, the latter being a submissive stance adopted by most 'Branch' members when addressing the 'Head' family, he clarified himself, "I should not have said those… inappropriate things in your presence that night. My words were out of line and so was I… please forgive me and overlook my wrongdoing."

His voice carried genuine regret over his act and Kiba seemed pretty much convinced of his acceptance of his grave mistake at that moment. _Looks like he finally started thinking about others for once eh?_ he thought in slight amusement, smirking at the other male's actions and words.

Turning her eyes helplessly towards the dog-nin, Hinata found him with his arms folded and an interested look in his eye. He readily nodded his head... a gesture that told her to accept her cousin's apology. _That Neji **really** has a way with words… the crafty bastard._

* * *

><p>Placing her hands on her knees and bowing in front of her older brother in a similar pose, Hinata kept her eyes closed and spoke in a composed voice, "I-I forgive you niisan but please don't bow before me like this. After all, I shouldn't have h-hit you like that either."<p>

_? _

Initially surprised at her self-blame for the blow that she had dealt him with, Neji couldn't help but feel his respect for the woman across him **grow** in stature.

Pulling himself back up to his full height, the dark-haired male just nodded in compliance and said, "But I deserved what I received Hinata-sama, that part had been decided the moment I opened my mouth against you and violated your privacy."

Hinata rose as well and sighed in relief at the calmness that had set in... giving her cousin a smile of gratitude in return.

"..."

Rolling his eyes at the scene that was playing out before him, Kiba felt a yawn coming on, _Good grief, do they **always** have such a big family drama in that house?_ Catching his female comrade's eye on him, he grinned and, turning towards the other Hyuuga said, "So, all's well that ends well eh, Neji?"

Picking up on the other males growing annoyance with him, the Inuzuka couldn't help but smirk to himself. _Never gets old... hehe!_

Receiving a simple nod in response from the dark-haired man, he then decided to usher Hinata out of the 'awkward' environment... grabbing her elbow gently and towing her towards the ramen shop, secretly hoping and praying that the blonde jounin **wouldn't** be there at that time.

_What! C'mon Kiba, 'man up' already, there's no use in crying over what was never yours in the first place! _He tried his best to shove all of his other... 'selfish' notions to the back of his mind.

_This is… this is really important for Hinata and I'm **not** gonna mess this up for her. No way in hell!_

_...  
><em>

His internal ramblings may have been non-verbal, but the great 'plethora' of emotions on his facial features had caught the sharp eyes of the observant Hyuuga prodigy as he witnessed their abrupt departure.

_That Inuzuka…_ he wondered in mild curiosity as his relative turned back to wave a suitable farewell at him before following her partner to wherever he was leading her.

He saw them head off and stood there transfixed as they slowly and steadily disappeared out of his range of sight.

Frowning in confusion at the other man's actions, particularly those involving his cousin, Neji thought back on his recent discovery of Kiba's 'non-arguing' and 'non-aggressive' attitude towards him.

_... was he…_

He never thought such a day would arrive on which someone as hardened and 'rowdy' as Kiba Inuzuka would shed tears for another… _crying?_

Noticing a single wet spot in the very same area where the dog-nin had been standing only mere seconds ago, courtesy of his sharp visionary powers, the Hyuuga frowned further in growing interest.

_He was._

* * *

><p><strong>Yamanaka flower shop<strong>

* Ding-a-ling! *

The sound chiming throughout the interior of the shop awoke her from her dozing position on the main counter, almost making her topple a few of the display bouquets in the process as she tried to steady herself.

_(Yawn!) Who? At this time…? _the blonde rubbed the sleep from her eyes and groaned slightly.

Shikamaru's training session earlier in the day had certainly left her exhausted but, fortunately enough, Ino had managed to catch a good 2 hours worth of sleep with whatever time was available to her then. At present however, she was finding the mere prospect of being able to spend the remainder of the day with her 'boyfriend' quite appealing and deserving of her utmost attention.

Once she had regained enough of her blurred sight back, the kunoichi straightened out her messed up hair as much as possible and proceeded to greet the physical visage of her visitor… only to be halted in her tracks at the sight before her...

_Whoa!_

Standing at the entranceway to her family's shop was a young man… a **very** good-looking and grinning young man. _Oh wow, Choji's hot!_ she nearly screamed out loud, not really bothering to even keep a tab on her thoughts right then.

"..." _Guess I disturbed her little nap._

The Akimichi heir was dressed in a casual, form-fitting maroon t-shirt; meant to highlight his powerful arms and chest, a pair of dark blue jeans **and** a (brand new) pair of ninja slippers to give him a thoroughly outgoing look. _(Sigh) I hope all that bargaining was worth it... _he inwardly prayed.

Swallowing the lump in his throat out of sheer nervousness, keeping in mind exactly **who** he was going on a date with that day, the young jounin kept his fingers crossed and hoped that he would be able to meet with the feisty blonde's expectations... not that he actually 'knew' what said expectations from her end would be like anyway.

_I hope she likes the look…_ Choji thought, a drop of sweat running down the back of his strong neck. _At least she 'looks' happy to see me…_ his mental debate continued.

He was quite right on that front as the girl had suddenly been infused with 'new life' and, before he even had the chance to greet her properly, had rushed up the stairs at the back of the shop in a mad haste to get herself fixed... calling out to him to wait at the counter until she got back.

_...?_

Scratching the back of his head with a shrug, Choji decided to simply practice solid patience at that point, knowing that he would require a fair amount of the latter since it was **Ino** **Yamanaka** who he was about to go out with.

Smiling (like an idiot) in anticipation of his first date **ever**, the brown-haired male pumped his fist into the air and grabbed a nearby seat... proceeding to remove a bag of salted chips from his back pocket to indulge in as he had nothing better to do right then. _Yosh, this calls for a celebration! I wish Shikamaru could have seen this... he would have **laughed** at how nervous we both are, Hehe!_

* * *

><p>Once up in her room, Ino slammed her door shut and, leaning against it, tried to catch her expended breath… <em>W-Wow! Choji… he came all 'dressed up' just for me!<em>

Brain completely filled to the brim with ideas of what they would be doing all day, the kunoichi dug through her closet with the crazed attitude of a child about to go on a family holiday…

_No…_

_... no…_

_... uh-uh…_

_Kami, don't I have anything **other** than purple to wear in this house?_ she wailed in desperation, her initial search for a suitable outfit failing to bear fruit. Arms working in a frenzy, the platinum blonde left no stone unturned (or drawer unopened) in her quest for that 'one' worthy outfit that she could wear.

Removing her drawers and subsequent hangers one by one with increasing anxiety, Ino finally gasped out a breath of relief when she uncovered some of her 'summer dresses', comprising of frilly orange, blue, and lavender fabric that reached comfortably to her knees and still looked far from an ordinary gown…

… and more of a young, flirtatious woman's garb that could be carried off successfully in a formal party scenario.

_Hold on…_ she suddenly remembered something. _I can't wear a summer dress on a date! _Refusing to let the minor setback deflate her morale , the woman persevered with her scavenger hunt.

Taking a small break, she put a delicate finger on her chin and pondered over the current dilemma further. _If I wear a jacket on a…_ she rummaged through the pile of garments that had gathered behind her until she had located her intended target... an item that she hadn't worn in quite a long time, due to being constantly targeted by 'unnecessary' male attention whenever she headed out around the village while wearing it… _perfect!_

Heading for a quick shower with a grin, Ino gave one last, satisfied look at her choices and smirked devilishly, _If this doesn't **floor** him then nothing will, hmm… hmm!_

_...  
><em>

Spinning the tap by a good way, she felt the lukewarm liquid wash over her svelte frame and sighed in relief, enjoying the feel of the drops pouring all over her being; striking her eager body with intensity and cleansing it at the same time.

The female glanced at her reflection momentarily before reaching out to grab a bar of the special 'scented' soap that her mother had specifically bought for her earlier in the day.

_It's for your date dear…_ she had said and left Ino all the more excited to give it a try later on.

* * *

><p>"..."<p>

The sound of running water reaching his ears, Choji, now finished with his quick snack, looked up and towards the ceiling in slight surprise..._Hmm, sounds like she's taking a shower._

**Lewd** thoughts involving the curvaceous blonde bombshell ran rampant through his mind soon after, causing him to turn a bright scarlet and feel extremely uncomfortable to be sitting there all alone; droplets of sweat adorning his brow and irresistible images of a certain 'scantily clothed' kunoichi raging through his psyche. _Phew! I'm glad no one's here to see me like this._

All things considered, it was no small wonder (atleast according to him) that the female had taken so long to find a male that she would have 'liked' to date in recent years. _She's just so hard to handle sometimes!_

Choji smiled at that, recalling just how stubborn and pushy the female could really be; chin resting on his palm and eyes drooping shut… as memories of their days as a young, odd-ball genin squad ran across his relaxed mind.

_Those were the days, yep…_ he whispered to himself with a tone that bordered on fondness and a hidden sadness at how time had flown right past them... especially after the last wars end.

"..."

Making her way out of her cleansing activity, Ino dried her long, luscious locks as fast as she could before running a good brush through them in slight haste, being careful not to rip a few of them out in her hurry. _A-Okay… done, now what?_

Turning towards her outfit, she pulled each item on and got a good look at herself in her 'giant' vanity mirror, turning this way and that to locate any possible errors in her judgment of said garb. On finding herself as near perfect as she could be, the young woman applied a hint of eyeliner and a light blush to give herself a more 'natural' look... making sure to apply no lipstick whatsoever.

_It would just ruin the whole look anyway_, she decided and, putting on her small 2-inch heels… _Choji's gotten so much taller now!_ grinned, before headed out the door and down the flight of stairs that separated her home from the family shop.

Before reaching for the doorknob however, she halted in her tracks... _Okay, deep breath…_ Ino sighed, a small tremor forming in her gut... before readily deciding to simply head out and get it over with.

_Here goes…!_

A twist of her wrist and the door was pushed open... slowly revealing a 'still' waiting Choji to her baby blue eyes.

_What a gentleman..._ she mused with amusement playing at her lips as she saw him nearly doze off at her counter, his head supported on his palm. _He looked after the shop for me while I was gone didn't he?_ the kunoichi smirked while trying not to laugh at the sleepy jounin across the room.

Stepping forward, closer to the oblivious male, Ino smiled with a small blush forming at her cheeks, recalling their last meeting and the 'reward' that she had given him that night.

_Yesterday was the best day of my life… all thanks to you Choji-kun…_ she smiled wider, almost wanting to jump onto his lap and pinch his tattooed cheeks till he begged for her to stop.

* * *

><p>Picking up a small disturbance in the area around him, Choji raised his head from its resting position, eyes open and ever ready…<p>

... to be met with an absolutely 'mind numbing' sight, mere couple of feet ahead of him. _I-Ino…_

Witnessing her dates mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water, the blonde beauty couldn't help but laugh out loud... before noticing the fact that said 'date' had been staring unabashedly at her… **and** her outfit.

Cheeks burning red in sudden self-consciousness, Ino tried to ignore her teammate's intense gaze upon her body... not really minding it all that much since it proved to only make her feel warm... and 'noticed'.

_I-I've never seen Choji stare at anyone like that before. Let alone a-a woman…_ she inwardly mused, failing to hide her blush from the burly youth.

"..." _Wow... _The Akimichi youth was simply 'bedazzled' by the creature that stood before him...

Being clad in a snug white tank top that hugged her frame 'oh so teasingly', with a corresponding denim jacket on top to finish the outgoing look... her accentuated 'assets' were proving to be too much for him to take all at once it seemed.

Long, shapely and powerful legs in a pair of light blue jeans with cute magenta coloured heels to boot, Ino Yamanaka, all in all, looked downright gorgeous to a hapless and (certainly) love struck Choji, who, in spite of being aware of his teammate's raw beauty for most of his short life, had **still** been caught off guard when he saw her in something so... anti-purple.

_Kami she looks **so** beautiful right now…_ was all that was running through his mind at that point... so much so that when she snapped her fingers in front of him, he immediately grasped her small hand in his as an involuntary reaction, causing her to widen her eyes at his sudden (and unexpected) movement.

Snapping out of his daze as soon as his larger hand met her delicate flesh, Choji just blabbered out a stuttering apology... making his date almost burst out in laughter; the prior nervousness almost leaving her heart and mind due to the former.

"Sooo, how do I look?" The Yamanaka female took a step back to give her boyfriend a better view.

_Not that he needs any. He's been **ogling** at me the moment he saw me!_ she smirked to herself whilst feeling her heart thump harder in her chest, mind patiently awaiting his reply with bated breath.

_..._

Gathering himself enough so that he could manage a proper answer to her query, Choji scratched his cheek and decided to push his luck with the platinum blonde, "Oh come on Ino, do I **have** to?"

Giving him a pout of annoyance and crossing her arms across her ample bosom, the blonde shot back with a half-hearted glare, "You'd better!"

Take aback by a good way at the tone she had just used on him… _She sounded hurt not angry. Great, good going Choji you idiot!_… the brown-haired man backed away slightly and sported an apologetic expression.

Her hurt look didn't dissipate immediately however as Ino continued to look downtrodden at the fact that she had failed to impress her date, the date who just 'happened' to be a man she had 'fallen in love' with.

Making up his mind, Choji approached the depressed female and, taking both of her hands into his, whispered out his 'real' response... "You know Ino…"

* * *

><p>She met his deep chocolate orbs with anticipation flowing through her own blue ones but found his mouth hovering by her left ear instead. <em>?<em>

Smirking with a sense of power over the beautiful woman that he had in such close proximity to him, the brunette male whispered seductively, blowing his warm breath past her ear as he did so, "… the way you look right now…"

He paused to let the depth of his words sink into her mind before continuing, "… I could just **eat** you up…"

"...!"

Ino let out a small gasp at his confession and found her cheeks burn in embarrassment. _Ch-Choji…_

"W-What?" she gasped out in righteous shock, not at all used to hearing her kind-hearted Choji ever speak in this manner... the former caused the Akimichi to pull back and look at her pink, flushed face with a tender look in his small eyes.

_You look so adorable right now Ino…_ he thought while moving his thumb across her soft cheek until she couldn't think straight, feeling her legs nearly give out on her.

_Maybe I was too fast with that one,_ Choji mused inwardly as he saw the lingering effect that his words had caused on the normally confident and straightforward woman. _Better change my use of words this time around._

He promptly leaned in and said the words that he was **certain** she had wanted to hear since the very beginning of their little 'game'.

"Ino, you look really…" His smile transformed into a broad grin, "… **really** beautiful right now. You always have."

Looking up at his eyes that had softened 'even more' than before, drowning her with their affection, Ino just smiled in silent thanks and gave him a small peck on his cheek with a grin of her own... one that spread from her lips all the way upto her bright blue orbs.

Touching the spot where he had just received his 'reward', the jounin raised an interested eyebrow, "What was that for?"

Giving him a smirk that made his breath quicken, she winked and replied, "Think of it as a token of my appreciation… Choji-kun…"

Turning pink at the mention of his new 'nickname', Choji just rubbed the back of his head uneasily and hurriedly suggested that they head out, since they had apparently wasted quite some time in 'greeting' each other.

Nodding her head in agreement, Ino grabbed his big arm and lead him out of the confines of the flower shop through the front door... with the latter blushing badly, courtesy of the extremely close contact that he now shared with his 'outspoken' girlfriend.

_Oh boy… **she** looks like the one in a hurry here!_ the male innately mused, a bit fearful of what he had just gotten himself into with the spunky blonde bombshell.

"..."

Slowing down to rest her head on his shoulder, the kunoichi glanced up at the still 'red-in-the-face' jounin and giggled in amusement, pulling him down by his jaw for a fierce, passionate kiss that proved to successfully remove **all** possible traces of embarrassment from his person… _There! That ought to keep him relaxed for a while, hmm… hmm!_ while leaving him with a big goofy grin plastered onto his tattooed face as a result.

The couple then headed towards the famed Ichiraku ramen stand to fill their growling bellies with the dish that had now become a common favourite for the both of them... thanks to the multiple trips that they had taken there in the past with a 'certain' hyperactive jinchuuriki.

* * *

><p><strong>Meanwhile, in another part of Konoha…<strong>

_..._

Each step that he took seemed to require a magnanimous effort on his part but Kiba **knew** that his options were all against him and any wrong decision made by him at that moment could spell doom for not only him... but for the life of another innocent as well. _I can do this… I must… I just gotta!_

With his courage steadily failing him, the dog-nin glanced back at the nervous woman that had been clinging onto his hand for the last few minutes with as much patience as she could muster, meeting his eyes with a brave smile on her pretty face once she noticed his gaze upon her.

_Her smile makes me feel so strong sometimes… (Sigh) I'm doing this just for you Hinata._

Kiba turned his face back on the path on which they were currently traveling to prevent her from catching a glimpse of his wet cheeks… cheeks that were stained in his own tears which he had failed to hold back as their destination neared.

_D-Dammit! I shouldn't be crying like this! What am I, some helpless pup?_

The man had made up his mind, he was going to blindly ignore his own feelings in the matter and make sure that his beloved got what she had always wanted…

... the chance to be with that one man who **she** loved.

"..."

Noticing just how worried he seemed to be for her and her upcoming 'confession' to her crush, Hinata smiled warmly at the effort that her close friend was putting forth.

Gripping his warm hand with a bit more of a tighter grip, she was surprised when Kiba suddenly turned around with a raised eyebrow, glancing at his hand and then at her flushed face... as if questioning her sudden movement.

Giving him a grateful smile, she simply said, "I-I'm just thankful that you're doing so much for me Kiba-kun. It means a-a lot to me…"

Returning the gesture as pleasantly as possible, the man, torn between duty and selfishness, somehow managed to plaster a smile onto his own face and replied, "C'mon Hinata, You know I'm a guy who keeps his word and besides…"

She looked up at him with eyes that held a curious glint, successfully managing to make his grin grow even bigger.

"… me, Kurenai-sensei and Shino know it better than **anyone** just how much you love that dense idiot."

Pouting slightly at the term used for the blonde male, Hinata just looked away at the ramen shop in the distance and grinned back shyly. "Well, I guess we'll see just h-how much of an idiot Naruto-kun is then, hmm…hmm!" _Arigato Kiba-kun… you and Shino-kun were always there for me… always._

Letting his eyes follow his partner's gaze over to their destination, Kiba merely nodded. _Too bad... cuz the **biggest** idiot is standing right here… with you._

"I… guess we will huh…"

Shaking his head, the Inuzuka raised her soft hand to his lips and planted a tender kiss on the flawless white skin, witnessing her blush almost 'instantaneously' as a reaction.

He released his gentle hold and, with an encouraging smile, patted the top of her head just like he used to do when they were genin. Sighing softly, he whispered out, "Go on… do your best Hinata."

* * *

><p>Tears were now forming in the eyes of the girl as she found herself moving further and further away from her friend and teammate, her small steps eagerly trying to reach towards her intended target but not 'quite' being able to completely turn away from the dog-nin either... for some strange reason.<p>

"You'll do just fine…" Kiba smiled at her, "... be sure to remind that Naruto just how **lucky** he is to have someone like you after him okay?"

Smiling with happiness at the thought of finally sharing her innate emotions with the blonde male, Hinata wiped away her remaining tears and just nodded slowly… "Hai..."

Waving at his retreating figure and waiting patiently until he had successfully hid himself behind a nearby tree, she turned around to look towards the 'all too familiar' orange and black jumpsuit that she could recognize almost anywhere.

_..._

Looking across the street at her love, the young woman straightened out her hair and patted down her outfit in self-awareness before walking across and opening her mouth to call out to him…

… to tell him about the love that she had harboured for within her ever since she had first met him as a little girl.

"..."

Peeking out from behind his hiding spot, Kiba wiped feverishly at his cheeks, trying to remove 'any and all' evidence of heartbreak from his person. _Great, getting so soft even **before** she's opened her mouth. Good god... what have you done to yourself Kiba…_ he wondered in silence, letting out a bitter laugh of sarcasm at his pathetic situation.

The world around him seemed to blur out of focus then… as he just saw Hinata, the man who had stolen her heart and himself... the loyal 'friend' whose duty was to do nothing but watch as the man who didn't even acknowledge the Hyuuga's very existence stomped all over her honest and pure feelings in his blind ignorance.

_No! Think positive Kiba! Things m-might go just how she wants them to... yeah..._

Watching his angel near her target he clutched the pain in his chest with his right hand in self-despair. _Naruto, he's never even noticed her but maybe… maybe Hina can **still** get to be with him. If it's meant to be it will…_

The Inuzuka felt a smile play at his lips at that. _As long as Hinata gets what she has deserved since the time I first saw her…_

The kunoichi was just a breath away from calling out that name… his name…

_... true happiness._

Seeing him all alone, sitting on his favourite seat with a bowl of his beloved dish in front of him, Hinata blushed at the fact that it was going to be just the two of them in that moment… **without** anyone else's interference.

_Okay, l-lets do this… Kiba-kun believes in me and I-I won't fail him. Not now._

Opening her mouth to get his attention, the lilac eyed woman spoke in mild hesitance, her heart thundering in her chest as she felt her throat suddenly go dry, "N-Naruto-kun?"

_At last, I'll tell him...!_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Dun Dun Dun! There, all done for the first part!<strong>

**So please, PLEASE 'Read & Review' my dear homies… cuz the next chapter will be up soon enough. Suggestions and constructive criticism are ALWAYS welcome too!  
><strong>

**Ja ne!**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter IX: Hinata's Confession

(Part 2)

**Disclaimer: This is a self-made story BUT includes characters and elements that are under the official ownership of Masashi Kishimoto. This is made for non-profit purposes and is completely fictional in nature.**

**AN: Well, another day and another chapter to be read… hehe!**

**Now it's time to see whether Hinata and her confession go ahead as 'planned'… or not.**

**Read on… amigos!**

* * *

><p><strong>While Ino and Choji had been chatting in her shop…<strong>

Gorging on his favourite meal of the day, or any day for that matter, was something that Uzumaki Naruto found to 'usually' be an interesting and fulfilling affair. At present however, the **only** thing running rampant across his befuddled blonde mind was the memory of the night that had just passed him by some hours ago.

_I was so close that time-ttebayo…_ he groaned inwardly, trying to lift his ramen-filled chopsticks up to his famished lips but finding himself too distracted to do so, letting the pieces of wood dangle loosely in his lazy fingers as a big sigh escaped his mouth and he laid his head down on the counter.

_Great, now I'm losing my appetite…_

"..."_  
><em>

Frowning in surprise at his favourite customer after helping his daughter, Ayame, with the noodle preparation at the back of the shop, Teuchi approached and squinted at the young man in mild curiosity, wondering what could be troubling his young soul **this** time. _Hmm, what have we here? Maybe he's been thinking about…_

It was right then that the blonde male had decided to lift his head up and notice the older man's gaze upon him... sincere worry shining across the latter's small eyes.

Slightly flustered at the sudden attention, despite being used to the 'staring' for most of his life's early years, Naruto rubbed the back of his head in his usual off-handed manner and asked, "Uh… hehe, what's up Ossan?"

He knew for a fact that the kind old chef and his daughter had **never** looked down upon him before but... the many years of getting cold gazes from the common folk had ultimately resulted in him becoming a bit 'queasy' whenever put under the visual knife.

Blinking twice before chuckling in embarrassment at having unnerved his young customer, old man Teuchi just shook his head and laid out his concerns for the future Rokudaime Hokage seated in front of him... "Oh, it's nothing Naruto… I was just…"

Leaning forward slightly to gauge his expressions properly, the jinchuuriki waited patiently for his oncoming admission.

"You never, well… you never took so long to finish your ramen before and…"

Letting his kind eyes meet the blonde's bright blue ones, the man unconsciously rubbed at the side of his head with his ladle, having fallen victim to the awkwardness surrounding them both.

Muffling his laughter at the old man's antics, Naruto managed to calm himself down a bit and simply sighed once more before responding to the adult's concerns, "Aah… it's no big deal dattebayo. I was just thinking about me and Sakura-chan's date yesterday, Hehe!"

Raising an interested eyebrow at the young man that he had known ever since he was a little mischievous tyke, Teuchi crossed his arms and rested them upon the counter in interest. _This... I have **got** to hear._

Feeling himself to be on a roll of sorts, the suddenly energetic and talkative blonde proceeded to narrate almost all of the previous days events to the attentive ramen-maker… only stopping once he had reached the end.

"...?"

Tilting his head to the side in surprise, the aging cook asked, "Hm? What's wrong Naruto, why did you stop?"

Turning completely red, as the memory of last night's events ran rampant once more across his psyche, the young jounin merely grinned and said, "Oh! Uh… i-it's nothing Ossan. I just told Sakura-chan goodnight and then went home dattebayo!"

* * *

><p>Not one to be easily fooled by Naruto's obvious façade, Teuchi thought it best to let him be and instead chose to wait for the blonde to be comfortable enough to tell him about it when he <strong>himself<strong> deemed the time to be right.

_Don't force yourself Naruto, your favourite ramen-maker will always be here to give a ear to your troubles… _With a responding smile of his own, the old man nodded and quietly returned to his cooking at the back of the shop… _anytime…_

Scratching his cheek sheepishly at the 'talk' that they had just shared, Naruto felt as if a bit of the lingering weight from last night had been lifted off of his mind. _Phew! It's always nice to talk with Ossan about these things dattebayo, he sure listens to me a whole lot, Hehe!_

Picking up his chopsticks once more with renewed vigor and hunger, the male was just about to begin chewing the delicious contents of his precious miso ramen, to satisfy his rumbling gut, when…

"Naruto! Ohayo!"

_?_

Able to recognize that feminine voice anywhere, at any time of the day, Naruto turned his head in the direction of the friendly call and somehow managed to grin **without** spilling the lukewarm contents of the noodle soup from his mouth and onto his lap.

Waving at the blonde doofus, who she had unknowingly grown quite close to in the last few days, Sakura walked over and took a seat next to the ex-Team Kakashi member. "Ohayo Teuchi-san, can I have a bowl of pork ramen please?"

Looking at the two young shinobi from over his shoulder, the old man smiled kindly and nodded, "Coming right up!" Turning back to tasting his newest experimental recipe for 'sweet' miso ramen, the man chuckled softly to himself. _Those two are like bread and butter… ganbareyo, Naruto._ **(AN: Ganbare = 'Good luck' in Japanese)**

"..."

Meeting her friend's gaze for the second time, the pinkette just smiled at the face he had on at the moment... a beaming one, with a stray noodle sticking past his upper lip._ Baka…_

Chugging down his ramen as quickly as his human abilities would allow him, Naruto grinned back and asked, "So, how are things at the hospital Sakura-chan?"

Thinking over her answer for a few moments, the kunoichi replied with a small smile, "Well, things are great as far as the new patients are concerned. Although…" She glanced away while scratching her right cheek with an awkward laugh.

"… I don't think they like my suggested healing methods very much."

Joining in her laughter with sniggers of his own, the blonde mellowed himself down and while thinking about what he could talk to her about next,… _F__eels nice when I talk to her, it **really** makes my day-ttebayo…_ began to observe her quietly as she took her warm bowl of ramen from the veteran chef with a polite 'Arigato'.

Finding herself as the latest 'unlikely' fan of the popular dish, Sakura savoured the chewy contents of the hot and sour soup with a smile gracing her fair features, completely unaware of the longing that the intense gaze of the man sitting next to her possessed.

Glancing towards him with her chopsticks still in her mouth, she raised a thin eyebrow in question, "Mmm? Nani?"

Snapping out of his daydreams, which wholeheartedly centered around her (no question), at the sound of her voice, Naruto just gave her a sheepish grin and said, "Uh, ha-ha! It's nothing Sakura-chan, nothing at all dattebayo."

Frowning slightly at him and keeping her suspicious glare to a bare minimum of what it once **used** to be, a few years ago, Sakura turned towards him fully on the rotating stool and said, "Naruto…"

* * *

><p>Her tone in that one moment didn't fall on deaf ears as the jounin immediately adopted a nervous look... "H-Hai?"<p>

Calming her growing irritation with ease, she continued in a lighter tone, "… don't make me repeat myself."

Naruto, of all people, knew **exactly** what Sakura had meant when she said that so, deciding it to be in his best interest (as far as his health was concerned)... he sighed and readily muttered out the truth… keeping his right fist clenched at his side as he nearly forced his words out.

"I was… uh… was just…"

The girl's eyes softened as she realized that whatever it was, it was causing her teammate to be uncharacteristically hesitant in his speech and thus causing him to act awkwardly in her immediate presence.

_I wonder… if it's got anything to do with me?_

Gathering up the various scattered segments of his courage, Naruto sucked in a tiny gulp of air and said, "… I was thinking about… last night…"

Brilliant green eyes widening as the events of the previous night filled her head, the kunoichi couldn't help but turn red in embarrassment at the feelings that it caused to erupt from within her chest. _O-Oh… so that's it._

His further clarification would have gone right over her head had she not caught herself in mid thought and focused her attention back onto the unusually stuttering man's admittance.

"It sorta reminded me of… of what you told me, 4 years ago."

Confusion couldn't have been more visible in the eyes of the medic than at that moment... atleast, from what he could gather at that point. _Yeah, she'll remember…_

Brushing the initial shock aside, the pinkette tried to maintain a composed outlook as she asked, "Um… are you talking about?"

Naruto's solemn nod answered all of the remaining doubts revolving in her mind and she sighed softly at the turn things had taken. _Just where are you trying to take this Naruto?_ she innately wondered, fiddling with her hair due to habit.

Smiling at her with a sudden confidence at finally having her see the shape of things from his point of view, the blonde male just held her gaze and said, "That day... you told me something…"

Sakura kept her lips firmly sealed as he continued on.

"… something that was a lie… then."

The young woman broke her eye contact with the man and stared at her lap... her light magenta locks covering her forehead and hiding her green orbs from the latter's view. _Of… all the times to. **Why** did you have to bring it up now Naruto?_

"Why…" she whispered, more to herself than him, as he sported the look of a man who had just been taken aback by something said by his wife. _Sakura-chan..._

Picking her head up from the depths of her self-contemplation, Sakura managed to break free of the shackles of 'civic sense'... that had, thus far, kept her true feelings hidden deep within her.

"Why are you doing this Naruto? Tell me!"

* * *

><p>Somewhat astonished at her aggressive tone, in spite of being relatively used to it (courtesy of her random mood swings), Naruto decided to keep his cool and not lose his nerve… like he 'used' to do by default whenever she would mouth him off in the past.<p>

Meeting her scorching glare with a calm one of his own, he found her gaze soften a notch and take on a more surprised form.

Putting his hand over hers, which was on her lap at that point, the jounin male decided to take the initiative **before** things got worse. _Better clear things up for her._

"I'm... not doing this to cause you any pain Sakura-chan…"

His sincere tone and genuine concern for her penetrated her more rational mind... add to that the warmth reflected in his apologetic eyes and she looked away in shame at having lost control over her temper…

… again.

Smiling at the way her, now much longer, hair blew gently with the small wind that had picked up in the last few minutes, Naruto pushed forward in a low voice so that only she could hear him. "It's just that, what I wanted to tell you yesterday was…"

He glanced at her hand. _She didn't pull it away… yosh._

"… the very same thing that you had told **me**... on that cold evening in the Land of Iron."

Her head moved towards him slowly as his words sunk into her heart and mind through her ears.

With even more strength in his voice, the Uzumaki male continued, "Except…" He squeezed her smaller hand with unrestrained tenderness, as his eyes seemed to nearly melt her right then and there, where she sat as rigid as a stone... listening to his sincere words.

"… when **I** told the same to you... it would have been the truth."

He smiled wider... "You know that better than anyone ne, Sakura-chan?"

Having finished verbally expressing the feelings that had been 'bothering' his mental and emotional health for the last 12 hours, Naruto then looked down at their connected hands and whispered, as an odd form of self-assurance.

"I know you feel the same dattebayo. I know you do."

"..."

Getting up from her seat, nearly on the verge of tears, Sakura was about to take her leave, with her ordered ramen untouched and unfinished, when the blonde youth reached out and grabbed her hand... causing her to look back and give him a pleading look…

… one that literally begged for him to let her go. _Please Naruto… please._

_... _

He understood and, sighing with a hidden sadness in his cerulean orbs, willingly obliged before watching her walk away. _Again._

"Another bowl please Ossan…" the depressed man muttered, in a voice that bordered on being utterly morose, as he half-heartedly gulped down his long neglected bowl of ramen.

* * *

><p><strong>And now with a nervous kunoichi<strong>

Twiddling her fingers behind her back, for the first time in 4 years, whilst trying her best to **banish** all negative thoughts from her nervous psyche, she nearly whispered, "N-Naruto-kun?"

"...?"

Halting in the middle of his chewing for the second time that day, Naruto turned his head to acknowledge his new visitor, eyebrow slightly raised in interest and eyes leaving his hearts current state undisguised. _Hinata? What's she want?_

Placing his chopsticks down on the counter, he sauntered over to her... seeing as the latter was quite hesitant to approach him anyway... _She looks pale, is she sick again?_

Once there he tucked his hands into his pockets and tried to adopt as friendly a visage as possible, offering her a small grin with mild difficulty... courtesy of his dejected emotional state.

"Er… hi there Hinata. What's up?"

"..."

The fact that she was 20 years old, a grown and very much capable jounin and that she was a matured young woman did **not** help the flustered kunoichi's cause at that moment as she felt all of her best friends 'pep-talk' sink into the vast confines of her forgotten memories; nervousness creeping up her system by the second.

_I-I can't back out now… Kiba-kun believes that I can do this. I must, this is my best chance!_

Willing herself to not crumble under the severe pressure of having the chance to speak to her lifelong love was a situation that Hinata was finding, in spite of all her innate desire, quite difficult to cope with and handle. _How d-do I begin?_ she nearly cried out in desperation.

Waving his hand in front of her face a few times, the blonde man said slowly, "Hellooo… are you alright-ttebayo?"

Blinking to regain her focus, the lilac-eyed woman felt her legs tremble slightly and her throat run dry, mind struggling to form words at that point in front of the attractive jounin.

_O-Oh... what do I do?_

* * *

><p><strong>Not too far away…<strong>

The loss of nerve that his crush was suffering from right in front of his eyes was something, which a man like **Kiba** could not tolerate... frown deepening across his brow. _Man, I've seen her act braver during that shitty war we had against the Akatsuki!_ he growled inwardly.

Peeking out from behind his 'not-so-discreet' hiding spot as far as possible, whilst keeping a firm hand on the tree trunk, the dog-nin squinted his eyes to get a better view of their faces... and the emotions that were playing across them.

_C'mon already Hina! That idiot's not gonna wait all day for you to make the first move!_

His silent pleas went seemingly 'unanswered'… _Tell him!_

... when...

"A-Ano…!"

Tilting his head to one side in increasing curiosity and mild irritation, more or less due to his **own** fluctuating love life, Naruto decided to buy his time with his kunoichi friend as she struggled to get her words out.

_I should really finish that ramen before it turns cold…_ he reminded himself, thinking back to his unfinished meal, thoroughly willing to ignore the Hyuuga's approaching statement as his belly let out another low growl.

Feeling the situation slipping away from her, slowly but surely, Hinata finally blurted out her words… in as 'coherent' a form as currently possible.

"I-I wanted t-to tell you something Naruto-kun!" _H-Here I go_…

Looking back at her and giving her a tired smile, the jinchuuriki asked, "Yeah, what is it Hinata?"

Clenching her fists against her sides and managing to meet his cerulean blue pools with the greatest amount of courage that she had ever felt seep from within her, Hinata continued with eyes that belied her fear of rejection as clear and bright as the afternoon sun. "Do you remember the… the confession that I made to you w-when Pein attacked the village?"

_..._

"..."

Staring at her with eyes wider than a gecko, Naruto felt a sense of realization dawn upon him out of the blue... right finger scratching at his cheek as a pink tinge formed on his whisker-marked face. _Oh… that._

_What the **hell** is he thinkin' about? _Kiba raised an eyebrow, feeling his instincts go into overdrive._  
><em>

The Hyuuga heiress held her breath as the blonde began to speak. _Naruto-kun..._

"Uh… um, about that... Hinata…"

Her eyes never saw **anyone** but him at that moment; lilac orbs never once leaving his face as her heart rate sped on with an ever-increasing speed, anticipating those three small words that she had dreamt that he would 'one day' say to her, and her alone, since childhood…

_Naruto-kun is..._

"... I'm sorry."

* * *

><p>"...?!"<p>

_Huh? Wh-What the…? _The brown-haired man's lungs suddenly stopped sucking in air and his ears kept repeating those words over and over again in his mind, like a ringing gong of inevitable doom.

"..."

_N-Nani?_

Hinata Hyuuga could **not** believe her ears.

The man that she had dedicated her **entire** existence towards, had literally idolized and sought out as the one companion that would give her love and compassion in return for her own…

… had just 'slapped' all of those aspirations, all of those true feelings back in her face.

_W-Why w-would he…?_

Her heart had already been fragile when she had not received due acknowledgment for her confession four years prior, but... now… whatever was left of it was crumbling down into the tiniest of pieces, like shards of broken glass that lie scattered on the ground after being brutally and **mercilessly** annihilated by an external force.

_Why?_

"..."_  
><em>

Trying to not hurt the girl too much, Naruto adopted a softer tone despite his stressed out condition, knowing that any wrong word used might do more harm than good... especially considering her present emotional state. _Alright Naruto, just let her down easily… don't lose your nerve here-ttebayo._

"Hinata… you're a great friend and uh… a good teammate, always have been but…" he regretfully sighed in defeat, largely due to the fact that all of 'this' was so sudden and unexpected for him to take.

"… I've never even **thought** of you in that way dattebayo."

The jinchuuriki sighed again and looked away in shame, solid guilt forming in his heart, "I'm... sorry."

_..._

Hinata's tears refused to spill even though she was screaming her entire being apart on the inside. She was trying to let it out... she really, really **was** but…

... nothing.

Naruto was genuinely worried about her unresponsive state and was just about to touch her shoulder when…

"W-Why?"

He froze in his tracks as her voice gained a pitch he never even **knew** she was capable of using.

* * *

><p>Kiba strained his eyes to see what exactly was going on over at the ramen stand but his ears did it all for him… <strong>much<strong> to his shock and apparent rage. _B-BAKA! How could he **not** notice… after all this time?! Is he fucking BLIND?!_

Grinding his teeth and following it up with a furious growl afterwards, the Inuzuka male just dug his claws deeper into the bark of the tree that he was hiding behind... ripping it apart in his state of frustration and anger.

_D-Dammit! I can't make myself known or Hinata will… she'll…_

He honestly feared the **worst** for his hurt angel, especially judging by the look on her pretty face right at that moment, which was losing its colour by the passing second. _Hang in there Hinata… please… you just gotta...!_

Sadly, Kiba's desperate pleas met with deaf ears this time around and they most certainly **never** reached the heart of his beloved… because her own had just been squashed into unrecognizable pieces, courtesy of the through the blonde's few... simple words.

_..._

Staring off with half-lidded eyes into 'nothingness' for a while as her mind processed his words and reasoning for the rejection to her honest confession, Hinata struggled to keep herself upright... almost on the verge of collapsing due to the emotional shock that she had just been delivered; akin to a fierce gust of wind that had just managed to blow itself by in a silent manner... right **through** her physical form.

"Why Naruto-kun?!" she nearly screamed in anguish, letting out a silent wail of despair through her eyes that were shedding crystal clear tears like a gushing torrent of a raging river, but failing to let it out…

… to let the hurt out of her system, which would surely have caused her to suffer a **breakdown** had she not spoken then and there.

"I-I love you Naruto-kun! I always have… always…"

"...!"

Taken completely aback and widening his blue orbs at the crying woman standing across from him; the sounds of her sobs and whimpers stinging deeply at his heart. _H-Hinata…_

Naruto was, for some strange reason, instantly reminded of all those times that she would stutter and blush in his presence, when she would faint upon seeing him and would always struggle to talk to him face-to-face. _What have I done?_

Using her shaking arms to hug herself proved useless as her sobs shook her entire body from head to toe... as if it was being attacked by constant spasms. The anguish-filled female wanted someone to hold her, wanted someone to tell her that this was all a bad dream…

... no, a nightmare.

"..."

Reaching out for her, Naruto never got the chance to tell her just how **sorry** he was because the heartbroken maiden had merely turned around and ran...

... ran as fast as her feet could carry her… away from him… and away from all the pain, all the hurt that her poor heart was going through right then.

"H-Hinata…" he whispered softly... hoping that she could forgive him for he had always wished her well but had instead caused her only pain... always.

Clenching his fists and hanging his head in shame with his eyes closed shut, he could feel a tear cascade down his whiskered cheek, "... forgive me." _I never meant to…_

Praying, from the bottom of his heart, that she would be willing enough to accept his sincere apology in future, Naruto returned back to the stand to pay for his unfinished lunch... having 'lost' his appetite quite some time ago…

* * *

><p>Slit-like brown eyes widening in horror, Kiba could only mutter one astonished word... and only one.<p>

"SHIT!"

Springing out from his hiding spot, the dog-nin raced after his distraught friend at top speed, as if his very life depended on it… which in a way, was true.

_Why the hell was I even under cover? I should've been there with her… but no! I had to hide my sorry ass behind a fucking **tree** the entire time!_

The worried man could only blame himself at that point but forced the 'unnecessary' ideas out of his system as he saw her figure disappear between the trees at the end of the gravelly path that led into the nearby woods.

_Hinata...!_

Catching her easily recognizable scent of cinnamon buns, as it wafted up his heightened sense of smell almost instantly, the anxious Inuzuka increased his pace as he literally **tore** through the street after her on his two powerful legs, sweat dripping down his brow and the back of his neck.

_Move it Kiba… MOVE!_

* * *

><p><strong>As our dating couple headed over along that same path...<strong>

Clutching firmly at her dates burly arm with all the possessiveness in the world, seeing as he had been attracting quite a 'bit' of unnecessary attention from the other women in their path, Ino hardly noticed the tired sigh that escaped the Akimichi heir's lips at her actions._ Wonder what she **would** have been doing if I was as good looking as Neji or Sasuke…_

Glancing up at him in confusion, she asked in a small voice, quite a contrast to her usually demanding and feisty tone, "What's the matter Choji-kun?"

_There it is!_ his love struck mind yelled once more, imaginary flags waving in harmony as his heart fluttered at the nickname she had used… meant only for him. _Okay, calm yourself down Choji… it's just a suffix after all._

Coming down from his high and looking down at the gorgeous beauty that he had plastered onto his right arm, the brunette let out a small smile of his own as he once again secretly thanked the one above for 'blessing' him with the chance to be by her side, comical tears similar to Rock Lee's flowing down his brown eyes in gusto.

Getting worried at the fact that he had not responded to her at once, Ino placed her hand on his head to check his temperature but pulled back at the last second, blushing furiously as the taller jounin snickered good-naturedly at her, now, pink face. She, it seemed, had yet to come to terms with sharing such close 'intimacy' with her ex-squad member... much to his amusement.

Pouting slightly, the platinum blonde slapped him gently on the chest and let him scoop her up in a big hug from behind, his warm breath that blew past her ear and neck making her shiver as her cheeks flared up further... "Ch-Choji…"

Her soft tone making his stomach do multiple back flips, Choji simply plastering a Cheshire grin on his face before replying... "Nani?"

His teasing voice tickling the back of her ear, Ino couldn't help but giggle as she tried to (half-heartedly) push her 'personal' teddy bear off of her smaller frame. _Hmm… hmm! Oh Choji…_

The man merely grinned again mischievously in return as his grip tightened... but only just... after all, how could kind ol' Choji **ever** hurt his little Ino-chan?

"Ino…"

"Hm?"

Baby blues gazing into his chocolate orbs; an adorable smile forming upon her lips, as their faces steadily began to 'reduce' their mutual distance, the Akimichi youth felt his heart pond harder with each breath.

"..."

All of a sudden, the sound of running footsteps caught their attention and they immediately sprang apart... the flustered male letting out a small 'WHOA!' as his immediate reaction, as if he had been caught doing something wrong. Their eyes then scanned the area ahead of them, trying to locate the cause of the ruckus.

An approaching silhouette was all they saw until…

_Wha-?_

It was Ino who reacted first out of the two... "H-Hinata?"

The kunoichi in question just sped past at full speed without acknowledging **either** of them as they stared after her, each with an arm outstretched or raised as their minds tried to think up a proper greeting for her. "What's with her?" Choji wondered out loud, turning to his thoroughly bemused girlfriend when another arrival met their eye, this one even **faster** than the one prior…

… it was Kiba.

* * *

><p>Completely confused and flabbergasted with the scheme of things, Ino had just opened her mouth to ask him as to what was going on when the dog-nin simply gave them both an apologetic wave and raced past... giving <strong>no<strong> visible hint of stopping and saying hello.

Glaring at the lack of information available, Konoha's 'gossip queen' was just about to chase him down and beat the answers out of him **her** way when she felt a gentle, yet firm grip on her left elbow. Turning to look at her boyfriend, she inquired in slight surprise, "Choji?"

Nodding his head with seriousness adoring his face, the brown-haired youth silently told her through a simple gesture to stay her ground. _Gotta make sure that she stays put._

When she opened her mouth to protest, he just placed a hand on her shoulder and said, "Ino... I think that something's up. Seeing that the both of them looked worried about something don't you think…"

He waited for a brief moment before continuing, "… don't you think that... it's none of **our** business to delve into their matters?"

"But-!"

The feisty kunoichi was almost successful with her second protest, this one even louder in quality, but the jounin softly cut her short again, "I know you're worried Ino-chan but I think it's best if we let them sort it out… I mean, Kiba knows Hinata the best right? We should trust him on this one."

Finally understanding what her man was trying to convey, Ino relaxed her tense shoulders and sighed in defeat, looking away for a while before smiling proudly up at him, a teasing glint present in her suddenly perked up eyes... "My, my! I never knew that you were so smart Choji~kun."

The sultry tone with which the blonde bombshell had addressed him making his knees go weak, the man had nearly lost all of his gathered composure right there... had the female in question **not** burst out into a fit of giggles at his expense then, increasing his mortification by countless degrees.

"O-Oh… hmm… hmm! Choji, you're… you're **too** easy, Ha-ha!"

The platinum blonde muffled her laughter the best she could but simply… failed!

It was now his turn to frown and engage in a pouting fit, but... against Ino and her effective 'persuasion' methods, it did not last for very long. Choji hardly ever had a chance against her when she was on a roll it seemed.

_(Sigh) I guess that's Ino: 1, Choji: nil this time…_

* * *

><p><strong>In more 'worrisome' surroundings<strong>

_I can't believe that just happened! Kami, I hope she doesn't end up doing something stupid… please Hinata don't do anything rash. Damn!_

Tearing down along the gravelly path as if his very 'tail' was on fire, Kiba completely ignored the sweat that had formed across his worried brow... strong legs carrying him along at a furious pace.

He was angry… livid… agitated… AND downright **furious** with the blonde male. Wanting to tear him apart and rip out his throat for hurting his Hinata... for making her shed tears and clutch her heart in pain. He simply couldn't stand it but…

"..."

Thinking back with a calmer mind to all that he had heard and seen, the man lowered his eyes to glance at his feet for a brief moment, as if doubting himself. _I guess I can't really blame him either. Shit! I knew that he had a thing for Sakura but I…_

Glaring at nothing in particular for the remainder of the path and noticing its end appearing ahead which eventually led into the woods, he clenched his jaw as tension welled up inside him. _I should've warned her… I should've **told** Hinata!_

Shaking his head free of all such thoughts related to 'what could have been' or 'would have been', the jounin sniffed the air once more to pinpoint the location of the kunoichi…

... thankfully finding it to be, nice and strong nearby. _Good, she's close…_

His heart almost leaped out his throat as he leaped from tree to tree, leaving the mark of his being there on every branch in the forms of small dents in the wood, and finally ended up at an 'all too familiar' place.

Pushing the overhanging leaves out of his field of vision, Kiba's eyes widened in surprise.. _This is…_

Recognizing the place almost immediately under the evening light, what with the way the mild rays of the setting sun hugged themselves to the surrounding trees and the opposite cliff face... the dog-nin knew that he had reached his and his female companions 'special training spot'.

Naturally sharp hearing caused his ears to twitch in sudden alertness as he picked up the sound of quiet sniffling to his far left and saw…

… a sight that made him want to do the one thing, which any male in his clan would **easily** consider as an unrequired weakness…

... cry.

The scene reflected in his half-lidded and moist eyes made him want to die right there and then, he literally wished for the ground to swallow him up whole just so that he wouldn't be there to witness the heartbreaking visage of that 'one' angel on earth.

"..."_ Hinata…_

The distraught woman was on her knees, right in front of the silent flowing stream which directly reflected her trembling frame, hunched over slightly so that her midnight blue locks covered her face away completely from the outside world... hiding her tears of self-pity and 'failure'…

… failure at trying to acquire the love that she had thought to be hers for most of her young life.

_Don't cry Hina…_ he nearly said out loud, but felt nothing inside his throat to support his long gone voice. _Don't…_

Kiba had never felt as... 'useless' as he was feeling right then. He wanted to hold her, wipe her tears away, kiss her and embrace her until every last drop of her tears and every last sob had found its way out of her. _If only my body would move already!_ the dog-nin glared at his feet as he felt some feeling return back into them.

Steeling his resolve and refusing to think twice about what he was about to do, the ex-Team 8 member, ever loyal towards his important people, did what his sense of duty and heart told him to at that point.

He approached her shivering frame and said in a soft voice, so as not to startle her all at once, "Hinata…"

* * *

><p>Alerted by his approaching footsteps across the soft grass, Hinata began to feverishly wipe at her cheeks, trying and failing to remove the fresh tear streaks from her person as Kiba at last knelt down beside her... gently placing a finger under her chin to turn her face towards him.<p>

For her, it was **extremely** hard to hold herself back as she bit her lip to stop the flow of the warm liquid down her rosy cheeks. _K-Kiba-kun…_

"..."_  
><em>

If he had (initially at least) thought that helping his crush through this time of grief without letting his innermost desires be known to her was going to be… simple or problem-free, then Kiba had to be the 'biggest' fool to ever have fallen in love on the planet. _(Sigh) Hope this goes down well with her…_

Kneeling down beside the woman, he lifted her chin up and towards him with the utmost of care as to not make her apprehensive to his advances.

"Look at me Hinata please…" he nearly begged, with a voice that made her snap her head up in his direction almost instantly with her lilac orbs wide and filled to the brim with fresh tears.

Feeling his hands cup her face gently with a warm smile on his face, the depressed kunoichi couldn't hold herself back any longer and gasped out, "K-Kiba-kun he… h-he doesn't…!"

Her throat 'choked' and she failed halfway, unable to grab onto the outlet that was right in front of her with his arms outstretched. Kiba nevertheless stroked her hair and nodded quietly.

"I know Hinata… I know…"

Crashing into his open arms without waiting for an impromptu invitation, Hinata cried… and cried **hard**, her tears soaking his black shirt completely and sobs ringing in his ears due to their high frequency.

_God Hinata, I'm so useless…_

The Inuzuka male, his own tears now flowing with a seamless purpose, looked up at the first stars that were beginning to form in the dark sky and sighed, holding the crying woman tighter against his body and rocking her in a 'tender' rhythm as she poured all the hurt…

… all the disappointment and pain gathered throughout the course of her life as a daughter and a kunoichi into him; making his own heart throb **painfully** as he began to literally feel a great deal of her grief hit him... at full blast.

Kiba had held her close for minutes? Hours...? Days...? He would probably never know. But... the man knew one thing and that was that she needed him… right there by her side... and **damn** him if he was going to chicken out on her now. _It's the last thing… I would ever do._

"Let it out Hinata…"

Stroking her dark locks with the loving touch of a parent or an older sibling,_ Not a lover…_ he desperately reasoned with himself, feeling his own heart start to betray him as he felt the urge to just throw it all away and kiss her at point blank range, Kiba whispered in her ear, "… shhh, it's okay, I'm here… right here."

He fervently tried to reassure her (shaking body and all) and continued to whisper words of understanding and encouragement into her ear, stroking her silky hair out of the way of her face softly, so that she wouldn't have to herself.

_..._

Her best friend's reassurance helped her to regain that critical amount of strength that she required then to 'reluctantly' pull out of his warm embrace and secure arms, which had acted as an antidepressant for her just minutes ago.

As Hinata straightened herself up and gazed up at the tears that were now rolling down her teammate's handsome face, past his tattooed cheeks and dripping from his strong jaw line, she widened her eyes in mild surprise before, hesitantly, raising her hand up to wipe them away.

_?!_

* * *

><p>Shocked to feel her soft palm against his face, Kiba closed his eyes and lost his sense of self in her touch, leaning in with a shuddering sigh… until she urged him to look back at her.<p>

"Y-You should never cry Kiba-kun… never…" she hiccupped out with a bit of difficulty.

Somehow, by the grace of Kami right then, the dog-nin managed to grin in spite of the hurt that he was feeling for his angel. _Typical, you **always** think about others before yourself don't you Hinata?_

Proceeding to wipe his wet mug properly he said, "Okay okay, no more tears see?" He showed her his clean, yet slightly red face... hoping she would smile back, like she always did but…

Hanging her head down in shame, the dark bluenette whispered, "I-I'm sorry that y-you had to… because of me…."

He halted her in her tracks by placing his forefinger on her quivering lips, frowning ever so slightly as he proceeded to softly reprimand her for even 'thinking' along those lines, "Don't. You know that no matter what, I would've been beside you in the end right?"

Turning a bit pink at the feel of his rough skin against hers, Hinata simply shook her head and sighed, "I w-was a fool all this time then huh?"

Not needing too many hints to figure just what she was referring to, Kiba merely helped her up to her **still** shaky feet and held her shoulders firmly in his grasp without making her feel uncomfortable as he did so. _There ya go…_

"Now don't go and say that Hina. If I ever needed **any** proof of Naruto's stupidity, then it would have been the fact that he never saw what he had right in front of him!" He adopted a harsher tone towards the end of his statement to put a bold emphasis on his point.

When her red eyes met his and he saw the remains of what had once been a stream of gushing tears dripping out of her lilac orbs, Kiba saw confusion and a hidden question, which was directed… at him. _Crap! M-Maybe I said too much…_

The Inuzuka's heart panicked yet he kept his expression neutral, choosing to let his grip on her shoulders subconsciously slacken, "What I mean is... that he never noticed your presence, your love … for him…"

Slowly but surely losing his patience with the situation, he nearly yelled out his frustrations. _Why? Why can't she see **me**?!_

"He… He never cared about you in that way Hinata! You've always done stuff for him that has to be brought upto his face so that he could see it. Y-You…" The man felt his voice nearly crack apart as a tragic memory found its way back to the forefront of his mind, "… nearly **died** for him dammit!"

Panting slightly at the small rant that he had just fired out at the frail woman, Kiba felt selfish yet couldn't help but want it to remain that way.

"..."

Genuinely shocked at the way her teammate vented out his anger for the man who had just broken her heart, Hinata stood there helplessly and only managed to keep her eyes connected, for all she was worth, with his. "K-Kiba-kun…"

Turning his back to her once he had calmed his raging emotions down until they could once again be 'tamed' by him, the brunette sucked in a shaky breath and covered his eyes with his left palm, completely unsurprised with what he had just said... _Now I've done it. I said too much._

"I'm sorry Hinata… I…"

He nearly flinched at her gentle touch on his right shoulder and turned around, only to find her shaking her head as if she outright disagreed with him on that point.

"Mm-hm… don't be..." the woman softly replied.

* * *

><p>Just when he wanted to smile at her and give her 'another' hug, this one of silent gratitude, he heard an all too familiar sound. <em>A bark?<em>

"WOOF!"

Whirling their heads at the source of the call, both the jounin saw a large white dog bounding their way, tongue lolling out and tail wagging helplessly as it felt elated at having located it's two squad members.

"Arf! Arf!"

Glaring at his ninken pal with half-hearted annoyance, Kiba muttered, more or less to himself, _Huh! Great timing there Akamaru…_

Leaping onto the tall man with a mighty heave, the dog began licking all over his face... making him chuckle despite the grave situation that he had just been a part of not some 'minutes' ago...

"O-Okay! Alright I get it… you found us boy!" Kiba snickered, the overjoyed animal licking him behind his ears.

"..."

Observing the two friends laid out on the grass with interest and holding her right elbow as a sign of being unsure of her role in the happy scene, Hinata was taken aback when the K-9 approached her quietly, almost sensing the unrest in her heart and whining near her feet... and subsequently making her heart melt.

She bent down to pet his head and smiled, eliciting the dog to bark out happily and give her a good lick on her cheek... thus making her smile and giggle for the first time that evening, as she tried in vain to keep the loving furry animal off of herself. "S-Stop Akamaru please! Kiba-kun m-make him… hmm… hmm… stop!" Hinata giggled helplessly against the smothering K-9 as he finally decided to let up.

Held up on both of his elbows and raising his eyebrows in mute astonishment, Kiba had to say that he wasn't 'at all surprised' at the way events were unfolding in front of him. _That Akamaru, he could probably even make a hard-ass like Sasuke laugh like a ten-year old on his day._

Blushing at the smirk that was directed her way, the kunoichi simply smiled back with doubt lacing her thoughts, _Kiba-kun did so much for me… I-I should do something too but…_

Finding the male right in front of her, on his feet, made her gasp out in surprise... and even more so when he placed a hand on her head, in his customary patting motion which he had often used on her when they were younger.

"Feeling better?"

She could only nod, though slowly.

The (emotionally) exhausted Inuzuka cricked his neck and gently pulled her along, "C'mon, I'll take you home. You need to sleep this over."

Not finding the voice of reluctance in her throat when he had made that declaration, Hinata just let him lead her all the way back to the Hyuuga compound.

Grinning at his other companion, the dog-nin rubbed the back of his neck and said, "Go home Akamaru, I'll catch up later tonight okay?"

"Arf!" Understanding his master's situation, Akamaru bounded off, hoping that his owner would return soon.

_Heh, he found us through my scent back then, the smart dog!_ Kiba thought, innately thanking his dog for unknowingly bringing a smile back onto his female comrade's face. _Thanks buddy, I owe you one._

* * *

><p>"..."<p>

Walking along with her by his side, Kiba couldn't help but recall the walks that they had previously taken on quiet evenings during their last 13 years as friends... and eventual teammates.

_Hm… cool times, with an equally cool team member…_ he thought, glancing back at his partner and smiling warmly whilst feeling a stray tear droplet coming on. _Damn, there's still one left?_ the Inuzuka asked himself in bitter amusement before using his calloused thumb to wipe it off his cheek._ I guess that one was for just me… and not her._

"I'm really sorry for what happened Hinata."

His serious yet calm voice immediately catching her attention, Hinata quickly diverted her eyes to a small cluster of bushes onto her right before responding, "It's alright Kiba-kun. I-I guess it just wasn't meant to be…"

He, Kiba Inuzuka, **had** to be an idiot this time around if he took that as her real answer.

"Don't kid me… you're still hurting inside aren't you?"

Looking away from his hard gaze once more, the kunoichi bit her lip as she tried to think up of what to say, "I… um..."

Stopping himself and staring into her beautiful eyes dead on, Kiba said, "You never had to hide it Hinata. I knew, Shino knew… hell, **every** damn person in the village knew but…"

Her trembling lips distracted him momentarily... but just.

"… he didn't."

Feeling her tears return, Hinata just kept quiet lest she started crying like her younger, teenage self once again.

The Inuzuka knew that the woman in front of him was trying to give off a display of strength but in his eyes... it simply wasn't doing much... "It's okay to let others know of what you're feeling sometimes Hina."

Her nickname made her meet his concerned look again as he cupped her cheek and she involuntarily sighed at the touch. _I just wanna hug her so bad!_

"No matter what, you've **always** got this crazy mutt by your side whenever you feel the need to talk to someone… okay?"

Nodding her head with a small blush on her pale cheeks, Hinata walked on ahead and looked back at him... heart feeling much lighter and less 'hurt-prone' thanks to his constant encouragement, "Arigato ne Kiba-kun."

Nodding back, he grinned and joined her side, while hiding his own plethora of emotions from her completely, like one has to when they want to keep their selfless contributions hidden away. _You smile, then I smile Hinata. It's as simple as that._

"Sooo…"

Kiba smirked good-naturedly as the female tilted her head cutely in curiosity, "... what say I find you another, **better** guy then… hmm?"

_?!_

Turning red and lightly smacking the chuckling male on his shoulder, Hinata couldn't help but laugh at the innocent suggestion…

... **another** one of Kiba's infamously bad ideas to ruin their casual moment.

_Silly…_

* * *

><p><strong>Outside the housing quarters of a pink-haired medic…<strong>

Getting back home seemed like a blessing for her... **especially** after the hectic day that she had endured… both physically and emotionally. _Patients! (Sigh!) I need to take a break from this job someday soon._

As Sakura took the keys to her apartment out of her small purse and was about to begin her ascent up the stairs that led to said dwelling, she saw him…

… a silhouette visible just about 20 feet from where she was situated.

_W-What's he doing here? At this time…_

Gripping her keys in her shaky fingers, tighter than she ever had before in her life, Sakura called out to the shadow that was currently 'leaning' on the dilapidated wall of the storage building across the street.

"S-Sasuke-kun?"

"..."

A turn of the figure's head in her direction was enough to arouse her suspicions further, along with the bored and cold tone used by the male.

"Sakura."

* * *

><p><strong>Hyuuga manor, Main gate<strong>

Waving at his angel one more time with a small smile before heading out for home, Kiba couldn't help but glance back at the curtains covering up the window to her room, sighing as he gave himself an imaginary pat on the back. _That was close… I nearly lost the plot back there._

The thought was related to the little time that he and Hinata had spent near the bank of a certain stream some minutes ago, where he had temporarily 'struggled' with practicing emotional control.

_I've gotta keep it together... just gotta_, he sighed again, feeling like a piece of shit for secretly harboring joyous emotions for her and Naruto's 'failed' romance.

_Hmph…_ Kiba suddenly chuckled at himself.

_What's the point? If she's ever gonna love someone else… it's most definitely **not** gonna be ol' Kiba-kun, Hehe. That Kiba-kun who doesn't even have the balls to confess his own feelings to her._

Shaking his head with a bitter laugh threatening to erupt from his throat, an honest reflection of the joke that his life around the shy Hyuuga female had become, the brown-haired male decided it was best if he just headed back home and got some well-deserved sleep.

_I really need it too… maybe I've been thinking too much._

With that, the loyal teammate made his way back towards the Inuzuka compound, expecting a 'minor' harassment from his overbearing mother for having stayed out too late. _Again…_ he inwardly groaned, wishing the night would just consume him whole.

* * *

><p><strong>In the room of a certain heiress…<strong>

The lilac-eyed woman pulled her peach-coloured curtains together with a sigh, but not before peeking out to catch the leaving figure of her male friend. _Bye…_

Blowing out the candle by her bedside table, Hinata rolled under the thick covers of her blanket and felt a tear forming at the corner of her eye, one of hope and slight joy at having had the dog-nin by her side when she needed someone to be near her, with her.

_Arigato… Kiba-kun._

Heart, broken but trying to mend itself back together, and mind filled with thoughts of her kind and supportive teammate, the kunoichi suddenly sprang awake and sat up in her bed…

... a flurry of thoughts and emotions she had never known to previously 'exist', erupting in her befuddled heart and mind.

"..."

_D-Do I… love him?_

There was no one who answered…

_Kiba-kun... do I..._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: WOOOWEEE! There ya go! The 1st Landmark Chapter is 'officially' complete… (Fist pump!)<strong>

**Now I don't need to remind you folks to PLEASE REVIEW do I? Lolz**

**Anyway, will Hinata realize her true feelings towards her teammate and friend? Will Kiba survive his emotional torture? Will Barack Obama retain office for a 2nd term? LMAO**

**Thanks for reading it through and cheers…!**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter X: I love him, I love him not?

**Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction and will remain as such… comprende?**

**AN: Today is the day that I send out my heartfelt gratitude and respects to four of my all-time favourite 'Naruto' authors…**

**Fangie-chan, SkyMaiden, Fanwoman & Hearts of Eternity (along with the 20+ others that I've missed out on!). It was their great work and 'way of expression' through their fanfics that had prompted me to attempt to turn this fic into a reality.**

**This is just a simple tributary message so… THANKS GUYS and keep writing even MORE masterpieces! =D**

**Onward!**

* * *

><p>Seated on a bench in the far-eastern corner of 'Konoha Park', hands folded neatly on her lap, a medic pondered over the events that she had gone through the night previous... trying to come to terms with all that had occurred during those unforgettable few minutes of her life. It was certainly no surprise that she was left baffled at how the unexpected meeting had left its significant mark on her heart and mind.<p>

With her hands placed on her knees as she kept her head hung over slightly, Sakura felt an urge to hit something…

... too bad that 'something' was herself!

"Stupid…" The young woman nearly spit out the term in her frustration and shame at her recent actions around a certain blonde. "... so stupid…"

It was like a curse, a seal of idiocy that she wanted to brand on herself. Akin to a badge of dishonour that would reflect to the world just how downright **selfish** she had been all this time.

_For so many years._

Choking back a small sob as her eyes began to well up with fresh tears, the kunoichi glanced up at the clear blue sky above her... feeling an ache in her chest that she just desperately wanted to get rid of, to dispose of as soon as possible so that new, more 'hopeful' emotions could bloom within.

_I have to tell him…_ Green eyes glistening and a frown adorning her brow, Sakura clenched her right fist with raw determination coursing through her. _I **will** tell him. No matter what…_

Memories related to her master's old lessons... that centered upon the inner-strength and willpower of women, gave her the courage that she needed right then to lift her body off the wooden bench without the slightest hint of hesitancy or second thoughts... _I think I know exactly where he will be right now._

Turning sharply to her left, Sakura began a small jog in the direction of the main gate that stood wide open, as if coaxing her to hurry…

... hurry before it resumed it's previous closed position and locked her away from her destination... forever.

Making it past the iron colossus in 'more than visible' haste, she headed off in the direction of the place where she was absolutely positive **he** would be. _Please… let him be there._

Although it was unclear whether her silent prayer had been acknowledged or not, the distant sound of a swallow, chirping happily in a sing-song voice whilst chasing after its partner in mid-air, made her smile softly... with renewed hope at the indirect answer from the heavens above.

_He **will** be there… I just know it!_

Recollection of the event that had occurred the previous night made her even more resolved towards her task at that point…

_He was right. I... have always been wrong._

* * *

><p><strong>Flashback<strong>

_"S-Sasuke-kun?" she nearly croaked out in slight disbelief._

_"..."  
><em>

_Meeting her shocked look with an indifferent gaze of his own, Sasuke responded icily, like he always did when acknowledging someone, "Sakura."_

_His voice, normally a more reserved type (and one with a hint of boredom in it)... was unusually **cold** towards her tonight._

_Known to pretty much keep to himself ever since Naruto had dragged him back from the cusp of making **the** biggest mistake of his life, for the past few years to be exact... it seemed, at least to her then, that the last Uchiha was on edge about something.  
><em>

_Something **was**, no doubt, eating away at him from the inside and he did not like it, of that anyone could be sure with just one glance into his dark eyes._

_A mere glance at his onyx eyes, as he stepped out of the shadows and stood in front of her, was enough to make Sakura wince. He was angry... she could tell that much. She didn't, however, have the 'slightest' idea as to why. ("Was it something I said?")_

_"Sasu-"_

_He held up his right hand as if to halt her vocal approach in its tracks, "Sakura…"_

_Voice's tone sharper than any katana known in history, he continued, "… what do you think you're doing?"_

_"...?" _

_Now completely confused about his awkward interrogation out of the blue, she just held up her apartment keys and nearly whispered out, "I was just g-going to-"_

_He cut her off again, somewhat 'irritably' this time; mouth formed into a thin, unreadable line._

_"I wasn't talking about that." His eyes flickered towards the pieces of metal in her closed left palm, which were slowly being drenched with their nervous owners sweat as the seconds between them dragged on painfully._

_"What I meant was, why are trying to ignore the dobe?"_

_"..." _

_His tone was suddenly icier and had an underlying emotion to it that Sakura was finding hard to mentally describe. If she wasn't so 'downright nervous', she could have **sworn** that Sasuke had used a defensive tone in his voice as he mentioned Naruto's name in his statement._

_"W-What? How did you-"_

_The medic almost lost her next words and swallowed the rapidly forming lump in her throat in uncertainty at her current situation. ("Why is he talking about Naruto all of a sudden?")_

_Easing his frown marginally and glancing towards his left as if wishing he wasn't even there with her, Sasuke sighed quietly in mild annoyance, "I have my ways… don't ask."_

_Sakura, although still curious, decided to not press the obviously agitated Uchiha further, lest he **really** felt offended by her constant prodding._

_Cricking his neck with his right hand and letting out his signature unassuming grunt, the man turned back towards his former teammate and continued, "Anyway, why are you trying to run away from him when the twerps trying to tell you about his feelings?"_

_"...?!"_

* * *

><p><em>Flabbergasted, more than ever before, the female somehow managed to hold on and remain on her stumbling feet, "N-Nani?"<em>

_Smirking with almost 'outright' sarcasm at her emotional state, Sasuke pressed on as if nothing had even occurred with her, "You know that he's had you as his fancy for **more** than a decade right?"_

_She simply failed at giving her reply, "I-I…"_

_Tucking his free hand into his pant pocket, the raven-haired male sighed again... disappointment and a bit of dismay lacing his next words... "I expected... better from you Sakura."_

_Her gaze met his half-lidded one in surprise._

_"You talked of love, of companionship, of **never** leaving my side the day I had left the village, remember?"_

_The pinkette noticed a hidden sadness and guilt sneaking out ever so discretely past his composed voice... in spite of his calm demeanor._

_Opening his dark eyes and making her feel as if he could see right into her very soul at that moment, the jounin said, "The fact of the matter is, you could never even be your **own** person… and you wanted to be someone else's companion and wanted to share in their joys and sorrows."_

_Her ears may have easily picked up his composed tone of voice as he told to her his opinion but the bitterness of his words 'stung' her deep inside... somewhere deep inside where she had shut a vital part of herself away from the world ever since he had openly rejected her upon his return to the village._

_Hidden and never again to be accessed…_

_... her heart._

_"Sasuke-kun I…"_

_She had no words left to offer in her defense because of the bombardment of pent up feelings that were slowly 'but surely' bubbling up towards the surface from within her._

_Trying hard not to smirk at her terrible observational skills, Sasuke thought it best to get to the point so that he could take his much-needed leave._

_"You know…"_

_Green eyes met their black counterparts once again… tears of inner-shame present in one being the **main** point of difference between the two.  
><em>

_Ignoring her look of guilt and misery as if he had never seen her like this before, Sasuke ploughed on 'albeit' in a more quiet tone... "… Naruto, loves you."_

_Not getting a reaction out of her seemed to back his previous theory of her being aware of the jinchuuriki's feelings. ("She knew about it from the start but never gave it any thought. Guess the dobe just wasn't that 'lucky' back then…" he fought off another amused smirk as he struggled to contain his laugh at the ridiculous situation that his two ex-teammates had bound themselves in)_

_"But you... don't."  
><em>

_Dark orbs narrowing slightly, he inquired, "Why?"_

_It was a simple question really, one that would usually be followed with the almost instantaneous answer of 'But I love you Sasuke-kun!' had this been the scene that had occurred seven years ago... near the stone bench on the gravelly path out of the Academy._

_Yet for some odd reason, Sakura didn't want to answer him this time. It seemed the right thing to do too, considering how emotionally confused she had been in recent times and **was**, right now._

_The medic-nin tried to head back towards the door to the apartment building where she currently resided, eyes on the verge of shedding a new set of tears that plain refused to remain hidden._

_Then… _

_... **his** voice hit the back of her skull like a sledgehammer; physical position remaining unchanged._

* * *

><p><em>"That's not an answer Sakura."<em>

_"..."_

* * *

><p><em>Biting her lower lip to contain a colourful retort within the confines of her mouth, Sakura whipped her head around and nearly snarled out of aggressive self-defense, something that even <strong>she<strong> knew was simply a case of running away from the situation at hand... like a coward._

_"What would **you** know about it? HUH?!"_

_Trembling all the way down to her fingertips as she forced her next words out, the woman lowered her heated gaze, finding the dried autumn leaves lying by her compatriot's right foot much more better to look at._

_"How could you?"_

_He merely raised a thin eyebrow in interest._

_" Y-You've never... loved me either have you?"_

_Not really in the best of moods to listen to her 'self sacrificial' sob story, Sasuke simply nodded and agreed with her point to avoid the new topic outright, "No. I never did…"_

_...  
><em>

_**That** made her nearly cry out in a pained wail as she felt the sudden urge to hit him, to smack him hard across his arrogant, conceited, flawless, handsome... face. _

_Resisting the temptation by clenching her fists shut and looking away from him, cheeks drenched in tears that had been kind enough at that point to flow freely down south from her bright green orbs, Sakura let out a shuddering sigh.  
><em>

_"But…"_

_His oddly compassionate tone made her turn towards his call slowly._

_"… I know someone who does…"_

_Sasuke's smirk returned, but it had a small trace of laughter hidden behind it this time around as he observed the emotions play out on his female associate's face under the clear moonlight. "… and… being the idiot that he is, will **continue** to do so till his dying day, of that I'm sure."_

_Sakura found her brain unable to come up with an adequate response at that point... her lower lip beginning to slightly tremble as realization slowly but **surely** dawned upon her.  
><em>

_Satisfied with his work, the sharingan-user concluded, "It's simple… if one has a brain." Her look of incredulity went completely unnoticed by the dark-haired ex-avenger as he laid out the main points of his proposal for her._

_"Forget about me, go to him and make sure he doesn't **die** out of excitement."_

_His words proved to surprise both her and, to a certain degree, even himself. ("Hah! I guess the idiot got through to me too at some point.")_

_...  
><em>

_"S-Sasuke-kun…"_

_Feeling her mouth widen into a smile and then an outright grin, the medic almost felt the urge to hug him but again held herself back, opting to just admire how much her old teammate had grown to acknowledge and accept the blonde jinchuuriki as an equal and a comrade... especially after all that the both of them had gone through a few years prior._

_("You **really** care for him don't you Sasuke-kun?" she silently mused) Sakura dared not ask him that 'out loud' for fear of upsetting his proud nature relating to such topics but..._

_... was apparently shocked out of her wits when he stepped forward noiselessly to give her a 'coy' embrace, without a shred of hesitancy or disgust at performing such a weak act upon his person._

_Frozen solid in pure astonishment at the **impossible** gesture, Sakura could barely breathe and, just when the fleeting thought of how she would have, at one time, given almost anything for him to hold her like this came about, Sasuke released her from his bodily contact…_

_... the kunoichi however, felt no sadness at the sudden loss of the contact... almost imagining a certain ramen-loving shinobi to be in his place, much to her surprise and unexpected joy._

_Giving her an extremely genuine smile, which made her blush like her old self once more, he whispered to her, as if unsure whether he should say what he wanted to or not but deciding to go ahead with it anyway, "Thank you… Sakura."_

_Unable to look away from this 'new' Sasuke, the pinkette just nodded dumbly and watched as he walked away from her, his usual gait making her stare at his effortless style statement in wonder once more, just like the days of old…_

_...  
><em>

_Smiling sadly about the unintentional 'hurt' that she had inflicted upon the man who had loved her unconditionally for so long, Sakura regained her bearings and began the short climb up to her flat, thoughts of what the raven-haired man had just said to her minutes ago racing through her head._

_("Arigato… Sasuke-kun.")_

_The lightweight wooden door greeted her with all of its lifeless charm and she proceeded to unlock it with her keys, which were by now damp with her own sweat from before, during her initial nervous fit when in the 'redeemed' Uchiha's presence._

_("Naruto… I'm so sorry. You'll never be alone. Ever again…")_

_With that she unlocked her door and, glancing at the hand that had been held that afternoon outside of the ramen stand in slight wonder, shut her door with a quiet click, hoping to get a good nights sleep so that she could think over the new found 'feelings' blossoming in her heart for the Uzumaki male…_

**End Flashback**

* * *

><p><em>There he is…<em>

Her bright green eyes picked up the mop of blonde hair just a short distance ahead of her, it's owner trudging along while kicking a stray pebble every now and then while exuding a morose mood about him.

Most likely due to her rather 'rude' behaviour at the ramen stand the day before.

Her powerful, toned legs raced towards her targets direction without needing further invitation, as her heart nearly leaped at the thought of finally being happy… at the side of none other than…

... Naruto Uzumaki.

_He's mine,_ Sakura grinned, the nervous coil forming in her gut at the upcoming confession that she would 'undoubtedly' have to make in front of the former egging her on.

_You'd **better** believe it Naruto!_

* * *

><p><strong>A short distance away from Team Guy's 'special' training grounds…<strong>

Seated in an oddly relaxed posture for once seemed to be doing wonders for the dark-haired jounin's mood as of late, making his mind wander… if only slightly. His hair was being blown easily with the gentle breeze and his eyelids were closed, as if giving off a sense of inner clam and tranquility to all those around his 'unusually' unguarded form at that moment.

_Hmm, this isn't… too bad I suppose._

The Hyuuga felt a pair of arms encircle around his neck and couldn't help but let loose a small smirk of amusement at the affectionate gesture.

Twisting his head a bit so that he could catch a glimpse of his culprit, he caught a good look at his 'interesting' partner.

"Can't keep your hands off of me for even a second, hm?"

The pink tinge on her cheeks made his smirk grow in density and the mischief in his pale eyes intensify further, overall expression as relaxed as ever.

_Bingo…_ the male felt his 'ego points' begin to stack up.

Placing her smaller frame beside him with her legs stretched out in a similar manner as his, Tenten just sighed and looked at him with an exasperated frown on her brow. "If I had known that you would be like **this** Neji… I swear I wouldn't have even considered going out with you!"

He raised a thin eyebrow in good-natured humor briefly before responding in a hushed tone, "Oh, you don't quite know just what I'm 'capable of' now do you Tenten?"

Her now **red** face made him almost chuckle out loud but he was, rudely, interrupted by the arrival of their hyperactive and 'youthful' teammate in all of his spandex clad glory.

"OI! Neji! Tenten!"

"..."

In place of responding to his old friend in his usual disinterested tone, Neji tried his level best to not let out a **growl** of annoyance instead.

Don't get him wrong now, he liked and (somewhat) even cherished the moments that he spent together with the, slightly odd, young man. But... now was definitely not the right place **or** time for his shenanigans... at least according to him.

_His timing couldn't have been worse even if he tried..._

Meeting his owl-like gaze, the Hyuuga nodded as a way of showing his team member that he was listening and had acknowledged his sudden appearance.

Tenten simply waved uneasily with a friendly smile at the bushy-browed man due to the amount of tension that she could somehow sense emanating from the 'normally composed' male seated on her right.

_Way to spoil our mood Lee…_ she couldn't help but sigh inwardly... whilst thinking about how it was about time that the taijutsu master was informed of the new 'relationship' that she and Neji now shared with one another... just to **avoid** any future issues regarding a lack of information.

_It's better if we tell him now instead of waiting for a more appropriate time. Who knows how he will react if he finds out from someone else… _Her eyes met with those of her boyfriend for a passing second and she nearly smiled at the thought that he had 'understood' her nonverbal point.

Disguising his smile effectively, Neji faced his spandex wearing friend and said, without batting an eyelid...

"Lee, there is… something that you must know."

* * *

><p>Cocking his bowl-cut head to one side in newly peaked curiosity, Lee just complied with a simple, "What's that Neji?"<p>

Gathering his next words with an effortless finesse, the Hyuuga replied in an even tone, as if he was discussing something as normal as the weather, "Me and Tenten have, quite recently, conjoined ourselves into a relationship that goes 'beyond' the boundaries of mere friendship."

"..."

"...?"

Slapping a frustrated palm onto her face with a groan after getting a look at her 'charmingly' dense teammate's face, Tenten cleared her throat and thought it necessary to step in and clarify things up at that point.

_Mo! In the end it's always **me** who's got to translate the whole statement for him!_

"What Neji means…" she glanced toward the stoic male in exasperation at his 'unblemished' pattern of speech, "… is that both, he and I, are going out... as in dating."

The kunoichi patted herself on the back after her statement. _Yatta… that should do it._

_...  
><em>

Scratching his head as the newest piece of information successfully sunk into his brain, Lee took a step forward and spoke, "A-Ano, so does this mean that…"

Quirking an eyebrow at his flustered visage, Neji decided to just hear the man out first lest he... 'regret' it later.

Rubbing the back of his dome-shaped head sheepishly, like he normally would around someone like Sakura, the black-haired jounin continued, "… that you're leaving the team for good?"

Knowing where he and his honest thoughts were coming from, Tenten just smiled softly and took the tall man's bandaged right hand into both of her own, "I guess that's what we'll have to do now… right Neji?"

The 'still' seated male merely nodded in response at first but soon complied with a defeated sigh (having been at the receiving end of one of his lover's death glares), getting up from his perch to pat Lee on the back with a well-meaning smirk. _She never **has** let me put him down has she?_

Looking at his longtime rival and comrade, the taijutsu master just smiled awkwardly and nodded, feeling a strange warmth build up in his chest, the kind that left him feeling extremely relaxed and satisfied with himself.

Neji's voice brought him back from his meandering thoughts soon enough however.

"True, But I highly **doubt** that we'll be seeing the last of you... Lee..." the pale-eyed male declared good-naturedly, earning a set of laughs from both of his teammates, as well as himself, in the process.

Now feeling more comfortable with the idea of his two closest friends dating each other, Lee gave both of them his signature 'nice guy' pose and declared with genuine pride, "HAI! You two are meant for each other Neji… I can actually **feel** the flames of your youth burning right through me at this moment!"

Pinching the bridge of his nose and sighing in defeat once more, the Hyuuga glanced at his kunoichi partner in desperation... finding her with similar thoughts present upon her face, **much** to his relief._ There he goes again..._

* * *

><p>His brows furrowed as he transferred to the brunette, his most 'personal' of personal thoughts... <em>Would you kindly make him stop <strong>before<strong> the entire village finds out?!_

Giggling at her boyfriend's exasperated state whilst feeling sympathetic towards him throughout, Tenten moved to reprimand Lee for starting up again with his 'youthful speech' all over again... like he always did whenever happy, excited or just trying to 'spread' optimism to all those around him.

"But Tenten…!"

Frowning at him just to put her point firmly across, she nevertheless gently continued, "No buts Lee. If you keep that up then the whole village will **definitely** find out about the both of us."

The woman glanced towards Neji once more and grasped his offered hand as a form of comfort.

"That's something which neither of us want at the moment."

Nodding his head in compliance at her request, the spandex clad shinobi just striked another 'classic' pose and assured them both that their secret would remain safe and secure with him.

"Now don't you worry Neji, Tenten, no one will know about this, that's a promise!"

His mildly 'boisterous' voice carried a tone of confidence that made his female comrade smile and his male associate groan in slight dismay.

Holding his head in his hands, Neji couldn't help but fear the worst, as he began muttering to himself... _I know this will end badly but why **now**? Why him?_

Ignoring her man's exaggerated displays of pessimism, Tenten just returned her teammate's pose with equal gusto and watched him head off with a wave to locate their sensei in the hopes that he would get to have a rematch with him... or at the very least manage to squeeze another sparring session out of him.

_Hmm… hmm! When those two fight, it only ends up with the hospital getting two new bed warmers!_

"..."_  
><em>

Calming his agitated nerves down a notch, Neji smirked at his old friend's departure and thought, his mood lightening up into an oddly amused one, _Regardless of his eccentricities, that man sure is 'reliable' if anything…_

Grabbing her arm candy playfully by the elbow, the kunoichi pulled him along towards her house, blushing at the scenario that temporarily played out in her mind as she envisioned the 'activities' that Neji and her would be soon partaking in… now that they once again had their little privacy.

_I hope he doesn't chicken out too soon though… hmm… hmm!_

Looking up at his puzzled expression, Tenten simply grinned and pecked him on the cheek, much to his embarrassment.

"T-Tenten! What if someone sees us… here... like this."

Noticing that he had lost the contradictory effect towards the end of his spoken statement, she only smirked and tugged him along in the direction of her humble abode.

_Yep, he'll do just fine…_

* * *

><p><strong>In another clearing on the opposite side of Konoha's boundaries<strong>

"Buzz! Buzzzz!"

Despite the musical call, a dark-coloured insect landed noiselessly on the pale palm of it's familiar, carrying with it valuable 'information' that seemed to hold great importance to said palm's owner.

Needless to say, the unaware givers of the invisible data were the other two members of the former Team Kurenai... currently situated on opposite sides of their third squad member's location.

_Hmm… interesting._

Dark goggles hiding the real targets of his vision from the outside world, Shino observed his two associates with unbridled curiosity, instantly picking up on a sort of 'tension' between the two… more predominantly emanating from the indigo-haired Hyuuga heiress, much to his surprise.

_Since when did they start avoiding each other so much?_ the bug-user questioned himself while trying, and failing, to come up with a reasonable clause for the former. _Maybe... Kiba has some answers._

With that decision made, the Aburame male leaped down from his perch atop the tree branch with the skill of one who had done the same countless times in the past and tucked his hands inside his deep pockets… approaching his old friend and teammate in as relaxed a manner as if taking a leisurely stroll in one of Konoha's streets.

_Hmm, he seems to be rather quiet too... I wonder what they've been upto during my absence. _His eyes narrowed slightly,_ Guess I'll have to unravel this mystery all on my own._

"..."_  
><em>

Cracking his knuckles and deciding to take a much-needed break from his grueling training session with Akamaru (who was also panting with exhaustion), Kiba, being the carefree soul that he was, told the ninken to go and wander around for a bit... before...

"Say Akamaru..."

The large dog turned his furry muzzle in the direction of his owner and best pal; bright red tongue lolling out.

Scratching his cheek and glancing upwards at the canopy of branches of the large oak that both of them were currently resting under, he continued in a slightly hushed tone, "... do ya think what I did yesterday… was the right thing to do?"

"…"

A small whine and a farewell bark was all he received in response, much to his dismay and irritation. "Ch-Chotto matte! You can't just leave me here like this Akamaru!"

Apparently the K-9 could, as his final gruff in his direction seemed to signify… "Arf!"

The dog then trotted off in search of some peace and quiet, having had just about **enough** of his friends somber love-life stories for the day. His thoughts too, were not of the pleasant type at that point.

_Seriously... humans, their minds and their stupid melodramatics. Why can't they just be as simple as us dogs?_

* * *

><p><em>... <em>

"It seems that he wants no part in your little discussion Kiba."

_?!_

That cold and calculated tone could be easily recognized by the dog-nin even in his sleep. _Heh, why am I not surprised..._

Turning towards him and smirking good-naturedly with unabashed amusement, he gave the tall jounin his customary greeting, "Yo Shino! Done with your bug training already?"

Ignoring the undisguised sarcasm aimed by the man towards his 'less-than strenuous' abilities, the Aburame heir just stared at his face, trying to figure out exactly what all thoughts had he been hiding away from the outside world since the past few weeks.

Shino, of course, was obviously doing so to avoid any unnecessary confrontation with the temperamental Inuzuka, lest the information that he sought out turned out to be of the 'personal' type.

_I had better tread carefully from here on. He obviously seems to be covering up whatever has been bothering him quite well..._

_... so far atleast._

Having been at the receiving end of his squad members mysterious… _and goddamn **creepy**…_ stares for quite a few years now, Kiba simply raised an eyebrow in question and stood up from his position so that he would be face-to-face with the slightly taller man, looking him right in the eye with his lips held together firmly in a thin, unreadable line.

_Wonder what the guy's thinkin' about now. Heh, I'd better ask him about it before he decides to make me melt under his gaze! Ha-ha!_ Kiba thought, mind trying to be bittersweet about the awkward situation surrounding the both of them.

"Oi… what's the matter Shino?"

Noticing how the skin around his forehead and his eyes subtly moved inwards, the dog-nin easily figured that his bug-friend was 'unhappy' or just plain disturbed about something.

Somewhat impressed that Kiba had managed to notice his frown in spite of his rather 'limited' observational skills, Shino replied in a calm tone, "It's nothing Kiba, although I would like to know what exactly has been going on between you and Hinata since the last few weeks…"

"...!"

Feeling as if he had been sucker-punched in the gut at point blank range, the Inuzuka somehow stood firm and prevented a psychological collapse at the same time.

Keeping his gaze undeterred and fixed on the hooded man in front of him, he thought with genuine disbelief, _Man, is he perceptive or what!_

Knowing that, like him, Shino was also (or rather had always been) highly 'protective' of their female teammate and wanted to look out for her best interests, the dog-nin decided it wise to not end up in one of his bad books.

He inevitably decided, with a heavy sigh, to spill the beans once and for all.

"Uh… well, ya see Shino…"

A raised eyebrow by the other jounin, signifying solid interest at the flow of new information, egged him on with his confession.

Gathering his words properly, Kiba continued, "I've uh… since the past few weeks, before your stomach bug hit…"

* * *

><p><strong>A few minutes later<strong>

Having related to his 'tactical genius' of a friend all that had occurred before, during and after his illness, Kiba felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off of his burdened chest as he sucked in a welcome gulp of air after finishing his lengthy statement.

It had been quite simple really, and not as difficult as he had previously assumed, since he just wanted someone to hear him out and give him advice... in a manner similar to like **he** had been doing since the past few weeks for his shy angel.

_Who would've thought though... that Shino would be my bug in shining armour!_

Close observation of the other male's reaction at his admittance and narration of those past events made him familiar with a pair of raised eyebrows and… _was that a smirk?_ he wondered, albeit in shock.

"Well, I suppose it **was** about time that you realized your feelings towards her..." Shino calmly stated, as if sharing with his comrade the date of his birth.

_N-Nani?_

Raising his hands up in front of him, the dog-nin stared at his teammate in sheer doubt and, he would in later years 'genuinely' admit, slight fear.

"So… what you're saying is…"

Understanding almost immediately what his rather 'slow' friend was trying to convey, Shino finished his statement for him with a hint of smile, after adopting his previous serious demeanor... "… that I knew from the very beginning? Very much so my friend."

Glancing over at their other companion... who was busy practicing her jyuuken some distance away on the opposite side of the grassy clearing, he continued, "Have you told her yet?" _That would definitely explain their awkwardness towards one another so far._

Shuffling his feet and placing his hands behind his head in uncharacteristic nervousness, Kiba followed his gaze and muttered out in a simple, flat tone, "Nope."

Placing his sharp, contemplative eyes back on the wild haired man's indifferent expression, he questioned him further... almost guessing the former's answer in the meantime, "And why is that Kiba?"

Looking away from the bug-users questioning gaze in obvious discomfort, the Inuzuka replied in as composed a voice as he could muster in that tense moment, _C'mon give it a shot Kiba…_

"Well… uh… I just didn't want her to feel 'pressured' into anything to be honest."

Scratching his cheek in deeper thought, he further added as his friend listened to him in complete silence and with rapt (yet subtle) attention, "She was going through a lot Shino… I just couldn't have her face **that** type of situation too."

Shino couldn't help but sympathize with the man in front of him in spite of the 'obvious' flaws that he could clearly see in the latter's theory... thanks to his rational psyche. _Well then..._

Adjusting his dark goggles and walking away from Kiba without so much as a clue to his leaving the conversation, he turned his head around and muttered in an even tone, "What you are doing is highly respectable and honorable Kiba. Why?"

The tattooed man waited with unusual patience for what the 'normally' to-the-point bug-user had to say, feeling a new found respect for the individual grow within his heart as his next words reached his ears... the mysterious man's smile well-hidden behind his jackets high collar.

"Because... you have Hinata's best interests at heart."

With that said, Shino felt no reason to remain in the Inuzuka male's presence any further and promptly took his leave from the vicinity…

"..."

Watching the all-too-familiar green jacket slowly vanish beyond his range of vision, Kiba felt himself smile... in spite of his mildly relieved, yet overworked mind. _Thanks… Shino._

* * *

><p><strong>On the other side of the clearing…<strong>

Trading continuous blows with hopes that the act would help to lighten the new found load on her heart and mind, Hinata soon found it to be one of the **worst** ideas that she could have ever come up with.

_(Sigh) I was **hoping** that this would help me clear my head up but…_

Slowing down a notch, she felt the strength in her arms start to momentarily fade and eventually decided to just stop the meaningless physical effort and take a break from the continuous exertion.

A sigh escaped her lips again, _If only I could talk to him about this…_

Eyes moving over to temporarily rest over her best friend's (and 'now' love interests) tall figure in the distance, the woman found her cheeks heat up suddenly in embarrassment. _If only…_

Feeling weak all of a sudden, Hinata reached out towards the practice stump to regain her balance but surprisingly found a pair of strong arms wrapped 'snugly' around her waist.

_W-What the…_

Turning around to see the very face that she had wanted to **avoid** facing for the entirety of that day, the lilac-eyed female just blushed and stuttered helplessly in response as the very same arms tightened their hold slightly to make sure that she remained stable and on her feet, "I-I… um…"

Catching on to her embarrassment, Kiba readily complied with her silent request and relinquished his hold on her curvy frame, though reluctantly. S_houldn't have squeezed her so hard I guess…_

"There ya go… don't you think that you're pushing yourself too hard lately Hinata?"

"..."

Looking down at her feet in slight frustration at not being able to decide what she **really** thought of him emotionally, the kunoichi just mumbled out a small 'thanks' and quietly walked past him to gather up her bulky jacket that she had previously taken off to prevent early fatigue... while she vented out her confusion on the 'now' nearly destroyed tree stump.

Raising an eyebrow out of confusion rather than disappointment at her unresponsive actions, while trying his best to ignore the beautifully pale skin of her exposed arms, Kiba shook his head and kindly offered to walk her home.

"Uh, how about I walk you home today Hinata?" _Crap, I shouldn't have avoided her that much after all. Maybe she's mad about that…_

Finally gathering together enough nerve to look him in the eye again, Hinata politely refused his friendly offer... **much** to his visible dismay.

"N-No that's quite all right Kiba-kun. I'll… go home by myself." _I'm sorry Kiba-kun but I just can't be around you right now. Please understand._

Walking away from him at an unsure pace, the kunoichi shook her head and added a sudden rush to her steps until she was far, far away from the **one** man who had been troubling her heart and it's innate emotions since the previous night's midnight oil had burned out by her bedside table.

"..."

Watching his other squad member walk away from him, Kiba felt a frown appear across his brow... _The hell is she ignoring **me** now for?_

Sucking in a couple of deep breaths to calm his agitated nerves, the confused man shoved his hands deep into his pockets and trudged his feet all the way back to the Inuzuka compound.

_Well, she does need her space **especially** after what the idiot did to her yesterday but…_ he couldn't help but sigh to himself, _I just wish that I could do more for you Hinata._

Needless to say, it was a long, silent walk back to his home as his mind kept giving him the guilt treatment.

_This sucks..._

* * *

><p><strong>Meanwhile<strong>

She was (unsurprisingly) feeling awkward, afraid and uneasy, having never faced these type of emotions before in her life... not even during her days of crushing on a certain blonde savior.

_I don't feel so sad now about… about Naruto-kun's rejection._

Hinata unconsciously rubbed her left elbow as a form of partial reassurance, much like she used to do as a genin. _I wonder why? Is it because of… Kiba-kun?_

Her thoughts led her all the way back to her home at an easy pace despite her mind racing at the speed of a race horse, rhetorically speaking.

It was true that her pain had subsided by a great amount ever since yesterday afternoon's **disastrous** attempt at a confession on her part but... it seemed that this new found 'inner satisfaction' at having finally gotten a concrete answer from the Uzumaki was one which opened up a whole new bunch of unanswered questions in her heart and mind.

Remembering all of those times when her best friend had ceaselessly encouraged her (to confess her unrequited love to Naruto), the Hyuuga heiress smiled to herself with a small blush… already knowing just how honest and truthful Kiba's heart was. She was well aware of the fact that the man had never failed to be there for her when she needed someone the most.

Just 'thinking' about his cheeky grin made her heart beat faster as she temporarily pictured the both of them together as a couple…

... and... as lovers.

"K-Kiba-kun…"

Her small hands found themselves on her slightly parted mouth out of sheer embarrassment at her small unintentional outburst.

_I should be more careful… hmm… hmm!_ Hinata giggled in spite of herself and her surroundings, which just 'happened' to very much resemble the Hyuuga estates in all their glory and splendor._ Nani? I already made it?_

Looking around her, the indigo-haired kunoichi realized that she had **indeed** made it back to her home quicker than initially expected.

_...?_

Spotting her younger sister seated near the steps that led to the inner training area (where they had both often sparred during their childhood), Hinata slowly walked over and greeted her sibling with surprising enthusiasm… something that went 'unnoticed' by her but not her sharp sister.

"Ohayo Hanabi, have you finished training with your squad?"

Hanabi Hyuuga had already made it as a chuunin at her current age of 14 due to her natural 'genius', her prowess in regards to her clan's abilities being similar to the type seen in Neji himself.

Smiling at her older sibling, the girl got up from her resting position and reached for her hands, which were readily 'handed' over to her by the smiling Hyuuga heiress. "Hai neesan. Although…"

Her voice dipped slightly.

"… Konohamaru made me and Moegi mad again."

The pale-eyed girl glanced away momentarily with a small blush forming on her tanned face... but not before noticing her sister's interested gaze upon her change in demeanor.

Gathering her flustered self with the 'grace and poise' of a woman used to such situations, in stark contrast to the older female's reactions around a certain ramen-lover, Hanabi simply continued in a merry tone, "Anyway, how was your day? Wait…"

It seemed she had just realized something.

"Why are you back so early? Did you and your... 'pup' have a fight again?"

* * *

><p>Her sisters teasing remark caused her to immediately become flustered as her next words turned into something akin to a mumble, thankfully not for the duration of the statement, "U-Um… no. I just felt tired after my training... that's all."<p>

Raising a curious eyebrow that accentuated her large, milky eyes further, Hanabi simply smirked and said, "Now I wonder what 'Kiba-kun' did that would leave my hard-working sister so exhausted **this** early in the day?"

Turning a beetroot red and fearing that her cheeks might burst under the emotional pressure, Hinata stuttered out her defense in sheer mortification, resorting to the old habit that she was **sure** she had outgrown years ago… of twiddling her forefingers together, "H-Hanabi it's nothing like that! W-We were just training and…"

Raising up a slightly bored hand, the younger kunoichi said, in a voice that had sympathy and understanding gushing out in a steady trickle, "I know, I know neesan... besides…"

The shorter girl grinned, "… you two, especially that dolt, wouldn't make any progress in your 'friendship' even if you both were locked up in a room for 24 hours with no way out!"

Her 'matter-of-fact' tone made Hinata stumble slightly in her reply yet she firmly attempted her retort, "H-How did you…?"

Finding the current moment as an opportune time for her to start grinning like a 'little' sister would, the darker-haired girl simply smiled and said, while giving her surprised and flabbergasted sister a tight 'loving' hug, "Trust me neesan, **anyone** could figure out that you two are made for each other. Don't you see?"

Receiving a coy yet warm embrace in return, Hanabi relinquished her hold on her older sibling and said, "That mutt suits you… he always has… more than that baka Naruto ever could... or ever would!"

"..."

Listening to her smart and outspoken sister's words with rapt attention and careful understanding, Hinata turned pink at her last statement and just whispered back a quite 'thanks'. _I never knew Hanabi had gotten so big… I guess time really **does** fly by if you're not paying attention._

"Th-Thank you... Hanabi."

Her smile suddenly faded a bit, both in appearance and in meaning. "But…"

Tilting her head to one side in sudden interest, the younger girl urged her sister to spill it in as gentle a way as she could currently muster... "But?" _What could she possibly be considering now?_

Sighing before giving the other Hyuuga an honest answer, Hinata spoke out her inner fear, "I don't know if… if he even likes me in that way Hanabi."

"!"

Gaping wide at the female jounin with her mouth almost completely ajar in an unusually comic fashion, Hanabi nearly gasped out in an exasperated tone, "A-Are you serious neesan?!" _Great Kami she needs help…_

Taken slightly aback by the unexpected reaction to her genuine admittance, Hinata waited for her sister to say what she had on her mind. _Why is she so surprised by that?_

Clearing her throat but feeling as if she might 'just' pull her hair out due to her older sibling's naïveté, the chuunin continued in a deadpanned tone, "Have you ever even **looked** in a mirror for all these years neesan?"

Not letting her older sister interrupt her while she was on a verbal roll, the youngster ploughed on, "You're beautiful neesan! You're… you're one of the **most** gorgeous kunoichi's of the last generation! Heck, even girls from **my** age group couldn't hope to compare with you even in their later years!"

"..."

Blushing at the 'uncalled for' praise, one that came from her very own sister, Hinata gave her another 'thanks' in response… this time too in a humble and modest tone of voice as was her nature whenever at the receiving end of a compliment or praise for a job well done.

* * *

><p>Scratching the back of her head in mild frustration but also slight relief at <strong>finally<strong> getting that piece of information off of her mind, Hanabi couldn't help but think, _Kami-sama, really, what **am** I going to do with her._

Grinning all of a sudden, she said, "All I'm saying is… that there's absolutely no valid reason that Kiba wouldn't fall in love with someone like you neesan. I mean you're his teammate! You've known each other since you were little kids right?"

Hinata only offered her a meek nod in reply, her face red.

"There... I knew it."

"U-Um... hai."

With that said and done, the girl headed out to catch up with her wayward yet surprisingly upbeat teammates once more. As she reached the main gate, she turned her head back towards her sibling once more... opting to give the latter one last bit of advice. _I'll nail it with this, Hehe…_

"Neesan…"

"Hai?"

Smiling mischievously at the thought of being the future cause of her brother-in-laws sleepless and troubled nights, she finished her statement, "You'd better tell him soon or you'll regret it…"

Looking back ahead she ended her mini-speech with a few more words of caution... which were covered with a coating of genuine care and concern around their invisible form, "… and that's something, that I **never** want to happen."

_H-Hanabi..._

The pink tinge on her cheeks faded slightly as she heard, firsthand, her sisters **open** admittance for her emotional well-being.

It made Hinata smile back, feel wanted and, without doubt, certainly loved and cared-for.

_Just like when I'm with Kiba-kun…_ she sighed as old, and rather recent, memories flooded her subconscious mind out of apparently nowhere.

Stepping out through the threshold of gate's archway and giving her sister one last wave, Hanabi made her way over to her squad, hoping against hope that the Sarutobi heir hadn't planned any 'mischief' involving her beforehand.

_Moegi and me will have to bind him up for good if that's the case…_ she grinned, a hint of innocent evil lacing her tone as her footsteps found a new life arise within them.

* * *

><p><strong>Back with a shy kunoichi...<strong>

Hinata Hyuuga had been let down by her lifelong crush, had to be at the receiving end of her best friend's comforting arms during her near emotional breakdown... **and** had gotten a good, meaningful lecture from her younger chuunin sister.

_Hmm… hmm! My life has really been all 'topsy-turvy' so far I suppose..._ she wondered with a tad hint of innate humour, feeling lighthearted and with a free mind at the moment. As if her sense of self had just found a new purpose in life, as if…

... her caged heart had at last been freed from the clutches of her impossible childhood 'fantasies'. _And it's all because of... him._

True, she couldn't have found a 'better' specimen for a male anywhere in Konoha even if she tried. _It would be next to impossible…_

Kiba just had that effortless and roguish charm to him that had always managed to fascinate and captivate her... ever since their genin days.

He could be as bloodthirsty as a wolf on a hunt at one moment and as loving and affectionate as a curious puppy the next. Showing uncharacteristic kindness and compassion to others, particularly his teammates… and her, had been his trademark qualities for as long as she could remember.

_He's always…_ Hinata reminisced fondly, the dog-nin had always been there for her through thick and thin, standing up against the 'unfair' discrimination done against her by the Hyuuga clansmen whilst making her realize her true worth and helping her find her feet after she fell below their 'supposed' expectations. The list seemed to be nearly endless for the lilac-eyed woman at that point.

_(Sigh) Oh, how could I have **never** noticed all of those kind things that he did for me?_

The man had gone against the set rules of shinobi conduct at various instances… just for her sake and had never wanted or expected anything in return, citing it as a requirement that had to be fulfilled by those who called themselves as 'true' friends and associates.

"Hmm… hmm!"

Muffling her oncoming giggles with difficulty as she recalled certain instances that had made the 'normally' confident and impulsive male flustered and near speechless, Hinata found herself recalling those moments with unbridled fondness and joy... which was more than a welcome change at that point, atleast for her.

A voice in the back of her head suddenly said, _He isn't that bad looking either!_

Gasping out loud at the untried and unexplored track of thought, the female blushed deeply as her mind envisioned her teammate **without** his normal apparel of clothing… at least from the waist up.

_IEH?!_ **(AN: Japanese term for surprise, pronounced as 'e-e-a')**

Hinata nearly squirmed at the embarrassing scenario. Not that she hadn't ever seen the Inuzuka without his shirt off but... it was… just difficult to 'willingly' imagine the latter in that sense, thanks to her conservative upbringing as compared to **his** wild and free spirited growth from his infancy all the way to his glorious adulthood.

Once she found it difficult to rid her suddenly 'active' mind of images of her handsome comrade, the Hyuuga heiress simply gave in and began unconscious comparisons between him and the other males of their generation.

Physical comparisons that made her feel secretly guilty at having attempted the 'unusual' competition in the first place.

_..._

* * *

><p>Now Kiba was a person who hardly ever denied others to have a full-on impression regarding his identity and position in society as a man. He looked and acted in a rather masculine way that was quite 'different' in relation to other men... atleast that's what Hinata thought.<p>

_Shino-kun is calm and composed… but he also possesses classically good looks while Neji-niisan resembles a proper and poised prince! Hmm… hmm!_

Imagining her cousin in a prince's garb and showing off a similar kind of regality made the poor woman almost laugh out loud, something that she had not gotten the chance to consider or attempt lately... especially after her failed confession.

Calming herself down, the female found her mind wandering further and recalled the tanned, muscular frame of her teammate during one of her 'unintended' glimpses of his physique while he had been bathing in a river (apparently during one of their previous missions).

The sight of the water droplets cascading down the fine line of his spine, which was surrounded from both sides by well-formed chunks of muscle (as if being hugged by them), made her cheeks **burn** fiercely as yet another image popped up in her imaginative subconscious soon after.

A follow-up view of Kiba's ripped pectorals... that stared back at her in a proud manner and slid down teasingly, giving way to a washboard stomach with six-pack abs that 'literally' stood out from the rest of their owner's abdominal features, had made Hinata turn a deep, **deep** crimson and cover her face in mortification. The worst part of that incident being that the dog-nin had remained blissfully unaware of the accidental 'eyeful' that he had given his female friend due to his eyes being shut tight during the process of his peaceful bathing.

A sudden 'comparison' with Naruto's physical build made Hinata turn a bright red yet again as she recalled a similar (though no less embarrassing) incident where the same treatment had been given to her eyes by the blonde male... _Oh, that was sooo embarrassing…_

The Hyuuga female momentarily shut her eyes, trying to dispel those unwanted moments from her memory bank, wanting instead to fill her mind with silhouettes that very much resembled a certain dog-nin.

Smiling at the thought of her new found love's strong arms wrapped around her slightly smaller frame with all the protectiveness and warmth in the world... in a manner similar to how he had held her some time back, Hinata suddenly realized that Kiba also, currently, was the proud owner of the biggest pair of arms in all of Konoha!

_I'd better stop now…_ she giggled inwardly and decided to end her thoughts then and there... lest she get too carried away with her fantasizing.

Having an abrupt brainwave, Hinata thought it wise to go and seek her sensei's advice on how to better handle her current awkward situation with the Inuzuka male... a ray of hope igniting itself in her heart.

_Yes, Kurenai-sensei has always helped me out and given me advice before too. I think it would be good if I paid her a visit today._

Patting herself down absent-mindedly and straightening out her long locks, as was her self-conscious habit, the heiress then made her way out the main gate of the compound and followed the path that would lead her to her new destination.

_I hope she's not too busy, with little Asuma…_ the kunoichi smiled warmly with a small blush as she recalled the last time that she had seen and cradled the mischievous toddler, having him pull on her hair in unparalleled glee and amusement.

_She'll have her hands full with that little rascal! Hmm… hmm!_

Hinata eyes widened substantially as she was instantly reminded of another, her **own**, rascal at that point.

"..."

Shaking her head in silent embarrassment as images of a semi-nude Kiba filled her head 'once more', the pale-skinned jounin hastened her steps towards her previous master's humble home, hoping that she would be able to guide her well… _Kiba-kun… I hope you'll love me too, because… I know that I do._

Her lips twitched upwards into a bright smile; akin to the grace of a bird letting its wings spread free from their confines beside its body, letting the visual world be a part of its **grand** splendor and beauty.

* * *

><p>The passing breeze wasn't feeling too 'generous' or it would have been all too happy to carry forward that silent prayer to the ears of the brown-haired man who, at that very same moment, had some emotional problems of his own raging within his confused heart.<p>

A simple contrast when compared to his female associate-cum-love interest, who had finally managed to break through the shackles of her self-doubt and make a choice…

... a choice to be with him, the currently 'unaware' Inuzuka heir, as his companion for life.

Needless to say, **that** decision had been made by Hinata… of her own free will.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Whoop-tee-doo! I'm deeply sorry for not updating sooner but, thankfully, things are FINALLY motoring on ahead at a faster pace, ne?<strong>

**Expect some (ahem) intimate content for some of the other pairings soon folks! ;D**

**Read & Review WITHOUT FAIL! Please…?  
><strong>

**See ya next time people!**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter XI: How the heart works…

**Disclaimer: This is a non-profit oriented, fictional venture. None of the elements present in this story 'apart' from my original ideas and situations belong to me, the rest of them are the honorary property of Masashi Kishimoto-san.**

**AN: Yosha! So, things seem to be heading in the right direction for our two protagonists… or do they? Find out today!  
><strong>

**[WARNING: This chappie contains a 'graphic' intimate scene that is NOT intended for minors]**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>By a small lake… in a solitary, grassy field<strong>

Flicking a pebble lazily out towards the silent and undisturbed lake and half-heartedly observing it sink to depths unknown with the air of a person lost in thought, a brown-haired man sighed wistfully and laid back down on the slightly moist afternoon grass with a frustrated sigh…

... trying to figure out a bunch of things best known to him and him alone.

Strong arms tucked behind to support his shaggy mess of hair (and his head in general), Kiba Inuzuka closed his eyes to achieve a sense of inner calm much to his unfortunate failure and annoyance.

_Tsk! C'mon, go to sleep already you ass!_ he mentally cursed at his inability to doze under the bright sun. His deep frown ceased slightly as he sighed again in mild irritation at his current mental state.

_Shit, It's my feelings that are troubling me… not my head…_ Kiba mentally corrected himself before rolling over to his side and involuntarily pulling out a few strands of the grass beside him, more than willing to attempt anything at all if it meant that it will help him to 'pass time'.

Moving back to once again rest on his back, he thought back on how his female teammate had plain refused his offer earlier in the day, shutting his eyes again as he felt a sudden pain arise in his chest.

_I wonder why Hinata rushed off like that? Maybe I should've been more insistent._

Thinking over what **exactly** would have happened had he adopted that course of action, Kiba shook his head and muttered, "Yeah, like **that** would have gotten her to cut me some slack… hmph."

_..._

Trying to clear his mind while being situated in one stationary position didn't seem to be doing him any good it seemed. Getting onto his feet reluctantly, the dog-nin decided to head off for home with another anguished sigh… mind feeling heavy with and overwrought with thoughts of his female associate...

... or he 'would' have, had his best buddy's call not caught him off guard.

_Eh? What's Akamaru doing here…?_

Locating the direction of his K-9 companions arrival through his clan's unmatched olfactory senses, the man rubbed his head and waved for the animal to head on over to where he was. _I thought that he would wanna spend all day with Kuromaru… guess I stand corrected._

Bounding over to his friend and owner with a thin trail of drool flowing by the side of his fanged maw, Akamaru sprinted the last few steps over to the man and leaped onto his tall frame without waiting for an invitation.

Licking any and every portion of his pal's face that he could reach, the big dog barked in happiness and excitement at having found his familiar for company once again... "Woof! Woof!"

Failing to pry the hyperactive animal from his 'considerably' weaker form, Kiba chuckled in spite of himself and felt relieved when the dog decided to let up and allow him to catch his breath.

"Wow! You sure are all perky today, eh Akamaru?"

His ninken's muzzle met his palm as the dog whined right back in reply.

"Hm? What the matter buddy?" Understanding his dog's speech was not the problem for the Inuzuka male but it was his 'reason' for being so troubled all of a sudden that got to him.

"Arf! Arf!"

"..."

* * *

><p>Patting his head, Kiba simply smiled and said, "Yeah, Hinata didn't train with us today huh?"<p>

Glancing away from his dog and trying to come up with a good enough excuse that would keep the animal's natural curiosity sated, the jounin sighed again. _I just don't know **what** I should tell him to reassure him right now…_

His eyes met the dark brown of his K-9 comrade.

_What are you thinking about right now... Hinata?_

Clearing his throat and coming up with quite an impressive fib (on the spot), Kiba chuckled at his dog's morose expression, "Hey… now what's there to be so worked up over Akamaru? You know how hard she works everyday too right?"

Akamaru just nodded with a small whine as Kiba continued in that same cheerful tone; despite the difficulty that he was finding in trying to maintain said 'expression' of voice... "Just take it easy boy, Hinata will practice with us again soon enough. She just needs some time to herself right now."

Hoping that his obvious lie would 'momentarily' suffice for the smart and hard-to-fool animal, the man looked away once again... but this time with a sad smile plastered on his tattooed face as he secretly wished for his lie to become a reality.

_Heh, I wonder how much of that fib was actually my **own** wishful thinking?_

Coming back to harsh reality when he felt a tug on his sleeve, the dog-nin saw Akamaru standing on all fours and having his large maw wrapped around his garment, tugging at it stubbornly with determination shining right across his tiny beetle eyes. _Eh? What's gotten into him **now**?_

"A-Akamaru! What's wrong buddy?"

Ignoring his master's query, the large animal didn't desist in his singular tug-of-war until the man had been brought back onto his feet… literally and with 'immediate' effect.

Wondering just what in the world was wrong with his dog, Kiba quietly let him have his way before asking his previous question once more... "Alright alright boy! **Now** will ya tell me what's gotten into you?"

Wagging his thick tail whilst barking with a latent joy best known only to his little doggy mind, Akamaru replied almost instantaneously.

"Arf! Woof!"

Catching onto his pal's intentions after a few contemplative seconds, Kiba simply waved him off and said in a frank tone, "No way… we **can't** go and give her a visit today alright?"

"..."

Not 'quite' the type of dog to get so easily bogged down, Akamaru stared at his friend with his beady eyes in question._ What's his problem? Why can't we visit Hinata today?_

Scratching the back of his ninken's left ear with a small smile, the jounin said in a soothing tone, "Look Akamaru, Hinata needs her privacy today… we can't just barge in 'uninvited' at her place every now and then now can we?" _Although I wish we could…_

Hanging his furry muzzle southwards in disappointment, the K-9 received a rough petting from his best bud and met his eyes once more without his usual enthusiasm.

_Poor guy, I guess that he really wanted to see her too…_

"It's okay boy, I'll take you to meet her the moment she's feeling upto it. How's that sound?"

Licking his master's face with a renewed energy and delight, Akamaru barked out loud in unrestrained joy.

Grinning at his easy-to-please K-9 friend, the dog-nin said, "Yosh, now you head on home buddy. I'll be back a bit later tonight so go to sleep without me hm?"

Kiba added the last bit in relation to the bond that the two males shared with one another... or rather had been sharing since their infancy.

"Woof!" was all that the large dog let out in response before bounding off in the direction of the Inuzuka compound, eagerly looking forward to resume his teamwork training with his 'superior' Kuromaru…

* * *

><p>Sighing in relief at his dog's immediate departure from the scene, Kiba rested his exhausted mind by leaning against a nearby tree and, with his hands tucked in his pockets (in a style akin to Shikamaru's lazy stance), let his eyelids droop over his tired vision... successfully managing to dispel all other worldly troubles and sights from his being, if only temporarily.<p>

_Man... I'm such a mess._

Thinking back on his current status with his angel, the Inuzuka just groaned in silent despair and thought back on when things were simple… simple and 'stress free' for him and his squad members.

_Huh, except for that time with Asuma-sensei's death and all..._ he corrected himself abruptly as his mind revolved for a bit around that 'unfortunate' episode in the lives of the members of Team 10.

_Hinata sure was worried about Ino back then too… that's **just** like her, to be right there with a helping hand… always._

Now Kiba was a man who never ('voluntarily' at least) shied away from noticing and complimenting a woman for her positive attributes and traits, in spite of doing it mentally most of the time. _I'd get a black eye every other day otherwise!_

The male opened his eyes and let out a chuckle at his self-depreciating joke, catching a good glimpse of a passing songbird with his sharp vision.

Thinking back along those lines, which he had **dared** to suddenly tread on before his little throw at some humour, Kiba found an image of his crush waft all the way into the deepest recesses of his heart and mind.

_Whoa…! Easy there old boy…_

For him, the Hyuuga female was the very 'epitome' of highly desirable feminine beauty and natural grace embodied into one perfect physical form, a stark contrast from all of the other kunoichi's (young and old) around the village or lands unmapped.

* * *

><p>Recalling the countless moments of self-depreciation and inner sorrow that the woman had lived through (for who knows 'how many' years of her existence), Kiba couldn't help but clench his jaw in mild frustration and let a growl escape him…<p>

... at how **stupid** her immediate family as well as the other individuals surrounding her on a day-to-day basis could be about her capabilities, both as a woman and a shinobi.

_Heh, I expected much better from the clan that boasts of having the 'finest' optical vision in the shinobi world…_ he mused to himself, undisguised bitterness wafting around his thoughts, _… but I guess they're just as fucking **blind** as the rest of the idiots who look down upon people like her._

"..."_  
><em>

Feeling astonished and flabbergasted at the treatment that the gentle woman used to have to deal with in days past, the brown-haired man also recalled just how **useless** and inadequate he had found himself to be at being able to improve her fragile situation... usually instead opting to act as the stable rock that she could rely on and use for support whenever required.

_Damn, I could actually feel her pain way back then too. God why did I remain quiet about it… why?_

Reaching behind his neck to rid himself of an incessant itch that had been irritating him for the last few seconds, Kiba found yet another memory pop up in his subconscious. One in which, his beloved was in front of his intense gaze... being 'less-than' appropriately clothed.

_Wow…_ his heart rate increased considerably as he thought into it further and wiped the steady droplets of sweat that had appeared on his brow._ I honestly can't think of anything more… perfect than that… ever._

He was definitely not at fault in the case of that unintentional incident however, as he had only entered into the changing room to grab his towel to dry himself off… and had found himself staring…

Staring in amazement and with an 'entranced' gaze at his female teammates naked and glistening back as she bathed with an effortless finesse, drops of the life-giving liquid slipping off in teasing slides down her luscious locks and milky back into the pool-like place of their origin... whilst leaving him utterly **spellbound** (and frozen to his spot).

The way her soft, fair hands ran through her midnight blue hair... the way her ample bosom was just 'slightly' turned towards her right in an unbearably provocative manner... the way only her waist and a tiny portion of her curvy hips were visible to him from above the pool...

.. it had all made Kiba innately wish that he was 'one with the water' in that gloriously ethereal moment.

"..."

Blushing furiously as those 'interesting' segments of the memory bombarded his psyche, the brunette shook his head with unnecessary force and sucked in a couple of deep breaths to calm his raging emotions as they threatened to spiral out of his control.

_Easy… easy Kiba… calm down already..._

Wondering just how Hinata had **not** noticed him standing rock steady mere metres behind her unprotected frame was something that the love struck man would probably never know… yet, he had learned to 'treasure' those special moments as if they were a case of divine intervention and nothing else.

"She looked so damn beautiful..." the Inuzuka muttered to himself in spite of knowing the apparent dangers of replaying that 'innocently erotic' scenario over and over again in his head. _Heh, I just **can't** help it as far as she's concerned._

His thoughts abruptly turned dark once he remembered what she had once confessed to him a few years back when Naruto had not given her an answer to her proposal during Pein's invasion.

Kiba grinded his teeth and found that scene replaying itself all over again in his temperamental mind with distaste and a renewed anger towards the whisker-marked man…

* * *

><p><strong>Flashback<strong>

_Finding his 16 year old teammate crying her little heart out with her legs pulled up to her chest to hide her ashamed visage from the world around her, Kiba couldn't find the guts to approach her at that point, opting instead to let her sobbing come to a close on its own._

_("I bet that idiot made her cry like this!" the chuunin growled inwardly while not 'quite' understanding why he was so deeply affected by his old friend's depressed state. "C'mon, go give her a shoulder before she **drowns** in her own tears Kiba…")_

_Approaching the frail kunoichi with caution so as not to startle her and make her disguise her sadness from him, ("… like she always does…") Kiba placed a tentative hand on her trembling shoulder whilst trying his best to not frown at the 'reason' for her current condition._

_"...?"  
><em>

_Looking up at the unexpected touch from none other than her brown-haired squad member and best friend, the Hyuuga heiress moved to hastily rub at her cheeks to remove any and all traces of her crying session._

_"Don't force yourself Hinata… I know you've been cryin'."_

_His calm voice sought to interrupt her hasty actions._

_Searching her mind for any viable excuse and coming up empty, the female simply let her male friend give her shoulder a reassuring squeeze before she found her self control cleanly snap into two…_

_"Kiba-kun… I-I'm not…" Hinata sobbed out while choking over her own words._

_Kiba, although slightly alarmed at her outburst, kept his cool and gently asked for her to continue, "Hey, it's okay Hina. I'm listening…"_

_Swallowing the wetness rising in her throat, the kunoichi said in an even weaker voice, "I-I'm not beautiful o-or good enough right?"_

_"...?!"  
><em>

_Shocked plain out of his wits at that point, the dog-nin chose to remain quiet and let her continue. ("She just **can't** be serious…")_

_"I-I know that I'm ugly and I look weird Kiba-kun… that's w-why he…"_

_Hinata's tears returned in full gusto as she proceeded to tell him 'firsthand' what she thought of her odd, rounded body, her pale and lifeless eyes and her far-from-normal speech defect…_

_… all of which (according to her at least) contributed silently towards driving away the man of her dreams from her honest feelings._

_("Goddammit! She **is** serious about this isn't she…")_

_Holding his fists back lest he smash them into the tree trunk situated right behind where her back was rested, the youth calmed down his agitated nerves and thought it absolutely 'necessary' to drag his self-conscious teammate and friend out of the sorrowful hole that she had decided to bury herself in with voluntary acceptance._

_"Now **you** listen to me Hinata…" he began in a surprisingly composed voice, his gaze (one that was filled to the brim with unbridled intensity) meeting the shocked girl's orbs; their sole aim targeted at clearing her head **completely** of all of the bullshit that she blamed entirely on herself…_

**End Flashback**

* * *

><p>"Yeah, it took me <strong>forever<strong> to get her to stop believing in that stupid self-made theory of hers…" Kiba sighed as he also recalled all of the emotions that had raced through his heart and mind as he had tried to come up with 'examples' to prove her declaration as wrong at that particular time.

Reminding her that not all girls needed to be skinny as scarecrows... didn't have to have 'too-little' clothing covering their bodies to make themselves look more 'outgoing'... or to make their presence noticeable and felt was just the **start** of it.

_Hinata took her time with understanding that bit…_ the dog-nin chuckled softly as he recalled how he had to awkwardly explain to the naïve Hyuuga princess the differences between a 'minus size' and a 'plus size' symmetry of the female body.

Knowing that the lilac-eyed woman had always been his perfect specimen of a human female, Kiba thought back on her more finer (and unsurpassed) attributes…

Hinata was neither as athletically toned as Tenten, as manly looking as the annoying Sakura or as thin and light as Ino… she was simply **perfect** in his eyes.

Blessed with a slender 'yet' voluptuous hourglass figure, large and full breasts, an enviable rump... and curvy hips to **die** for… Hinata, for the Inuzuka, was a classic example of natural feminity and fertility. Her natural prowess and flexibility as an able kunoichi-cum-heiress backing her up at the end.

_None of the others ever compared to her anyway, at any time..._ Kiba mused to himself, turning a bit red as the image of his well-endowed teammate popped up in his head.

_Heh, it would have been **hilarious** if Hinata were more confident and outgoing. They all would have had to stay at home to avoid a confrontation with the hottest gal in the village, Ha-Ha!_

Finding himself hungry all of a sudden, having not had anything to engorge on since morning, the man decided it to be the right time to head to a good food-joint to sate his growling stomach before he collapsed due to the empty sensation… within 'said' belly.

Wondering as to why he had indulged in the unimportant comparison between Hinata and the other kunoichi of his generation, he simply shrugged and dismissed it as a case of still being 'bothered' with the fact that the Hyuuga was single and available yet it was **he** who was hesitant towards expressing his surmounting feelings for her.

_Shit, I'd better get something to chew on before I go nuts over this stuff…_

Sadly enough, Kiba was **completely** unaware of the contrasting feelings that were, at that very same moment, blossoming freely and successfully within his angel's heart and mind.

* * *

><p><strong>Outside the residence of the former leader of Team 8...<strong>

Staring up at the wide balcony that was an extension of the modest flat, which housed her former sensei and her young child, Hinata smiled uneasily and gulped with an unusual nervousness for the task that lay ahead of her.

_I hope she's not too busy today. (Sigh) Here goes…_

Giving herself the much-needed emotional reassurance to carry out the necessary task, the indigo-haired kunoichi proceeded to climb up the short steps that ended at the older jounin's front door.

Taking a deep breath in spite of knowing just how kind and understanding her teacher was and had always been, 'particularly' in her case, Hinata raised her pale fist to knock on the sturdy piece of wood.

Hearing a strange hustle and bustle occurring on the other side of the door, the Hyuuga raised her eyebrow in curiosity and found the flat wooden surface, separating her from her target, being pulled back and away from her at a furious speed… providing for her widened gaze, a little black-haired boy who, at that moment, had a wide grin plastered on his chubby face that threatened to stretch his cheeks **beyond** their natural limit.

_A-Asuma…?_

Putting her hand on his tufts of shaggy hair with a bright smile of her own, Hinata scooped up the eager child into her arms and asked, while trying at the same time to tickle his small tummy with a grin, "Hmm… hmm! Where's your mommy little one?"

Laughing out loud in obvious enjoyment, Asuma jr. simply grabbed her hand and gasped out with another wild grin on his little face, "Ha-ha…! M-Mommy is… Ha! She's in the kitchen Hinata-oneechan…"

Smiling at the sound of his adorable voice, the female peeked out from behind his chubby frame as she heard the approach of the boy's mother.

"Asuma? Who is it honey?"

Coming into view wearing a striped apron on top of her simple indoors garb, Kurenai Yuhi still brought with her a calming influence for Hinata with her mere presence alone.

"Oh…" she said in response to the scene before her.

Putting the overexcited boy down, the dark bluenette bowed to her former teacher out of respect yet found herself wrapped up in a warm embrace from the older woman instead once she stood back up.

"S-Sensei?" she questioned in slight surprise with her cheeks flushed pink once more.

Releasing her dear student from her arms hold, Kurenai simply patted the top of the girl's head and said, "How've you been Hinata… it's been a while hasn't it?"

Placing her hands behind her back and holding back a joyful grin, Hinata replied with undisguised happiness shining through her voice, "Hai, it has been some time sensei."

Gesturing for her to follow, the older jounin offered the shy heiress a comfortable place on her loveseat and told her to wait as she returned with some tea, calling out for her young child to go out and play as they talked.

* * *

><p>"..."<p>

Glancing at the modest tatami mats, old-fashioned lamps and furniture adorning her former master's humble home, Hinata smiled in admiration of just how 'stylish' yet firmly rooted the older woman could be in spite of having 'more than enough' funds to afford better quality decorations for the cozy house.

Coming back with a tray... completely laden with fancy eatables and two cups of freshly made green tea, which she was aware that the Hyuuga really liked and preferred over the usual affair, Kurenai smiled once more at the girl's well-mannered visage.

"So, what brings my favourite student all the way over to my little home all of a sudden?"

Fidgeting with her fingers for a while before accepting the offered beverage with a polite 'thank you', the young kunoichi took a hesitant sip before deciding to state the reason for her unexpected visit.

"U-Um… I actually wanted to-"

Hearing a pitter-patter of sandals from her immediate right, the raven-haired female turned towards the source of the interruption to greet her 'other' visitor… "Oh, one moment Hinata," she smiled at the surprised heiress.

Coming into view was none other than the heir to the Nara clan, carrying a certain toddler in his gentle yet firm grip... as the latter played with his ponytail with uncaring gusto.

"Mendoksena…" the man muttered, although with a well-hidden smirk.

"Uh, Kurenai-sensei, would you mind if Asuma stays with me for a while? He really shouldn't be playing outside all by himself you know."

Smiling at the obvious care and concern present in the composed voice of the lazy jounin for her little boy, _That man really does care for that little abomination more than he should… hmm… hmm…!_ Kurenai replied in an understanding tone, "Alright Shikamaru... but make sure that rascal makes it back in time for his lunch!"

Smirking at the bundle of mischief in his arms, the man nearly chuckled out loud when he found his little passenger picking his nose without a care in the world. "Hehe, okay sensei. I'll bring him back to you don't worry."

"Bye mama!" little Asuma yelled back with an excited wave of his chubby appendage, obviously 'overjoyed' to get to play with his most favourite uncle.

Noticing the other seated woman just then, Shikamaru nodded in her direction politely before quickly taking his leave.

Giggling to herself, Kurenai remained sorely unaware of the curious gaze that was directed her way... "Oh…! Hmm… hmm! Don't mind him, Shikamaru would never want to interrupt us while we were having our little 'girl-talk'!"

Finally understanding as to why the man had abruptly left as soon as he could without even uttering a word in her direction, Hinata found herself giggling along with her former teacher.

Gathering her thoughts back together, she inwardly mused, _I suppose that I should thank Shikamaru-kun for easing the tension between us with his... interruption!_

_(Sigh) Okay, here goes then..._ "Ano, Sensei…"

Calming her humorous vein down by a considerable way after hearing her pupils query, Kurenai responded with an unreadable expression, somehow sensing the seriousness in the other woman's voice at that point... "Yes, what is it Hinata?" _She seems to be on edge about something all of a sudden, I wonder what it could be?_

Gathering up her reserves of mental strength, Hinata thought it best to narrate to her sensei **exactly** what had been occurring with her and her 'best friend' as of late.

_It will probably help her to figure out as to what I should be doing too…_

"U-Um… actually, it begins like this sensei…"

* * *

><p><strong>Some minutes later, as the wind blew through the yellow curtains of the Yuhi home with a teasing breeze following close behind<strong>

Raising an interested eyebrow at what Hinata had just confessed to her, Kurenai took a refreshing sip from her cup and gestured for the suddenly quiet maiden to do the same.

_So **that's** what's been bothering her lately. Hmm… hmm! I should've known!_

Confused by the understanding smile that the older woman was openly directing her way, the lilac-eyed female blinked in question before letting her next words execute her inner befuddlement, "Ano…"

Raising her cup to her lips once again, the wise jounin simply said, "How's the tea?"

Moving her milky eyes towards the hazel coloured liquid in obvious confusion, Hinata swallowed the unnoticed lump in her throat and, after quietly taking a small sip, nodded back.

"I-It's good sensei but what…"

Cutting across her gently once more, her hostess smiled wide and stated to her what she had made out of her confession. "Never mind that, but what I would like to know is… how in the world did it take you so **long** to figure this out?"

Removing her curious gaze from her former team leader's face, the Hyuuga heiress fiddled with her fingers in apparent discomfort as the older kunoichi suddenly reached out and enclosed her right hand in one of her own.

Eyes wide in surprise, it was the wise woman's motherly tone of voice that made her meet the former's gaze once again.

"..."

Closing her eyes for a brief moment, Kurenai spoke out in a composed and calculated tone, "Look Hinata, I personally don't blame you for not noticing but…" _This might be harder than I thought…_

"… Kiba is the type of guy who doesn't or rather **wouldn't** want to burden others with his problems and feelings."

Kurenai's eyes were almost visibly 'laughing' as she continued, "It's just not his style you know, he's too… 'proud' to let something like that happen."

Smiling in agreement with the deduction of the woman seated in front of her, Hinata spoke up with some confidence of her own for the very first time that afternoon, "Hmm… hmm! That definitely sounds like Kiba-kun alright."

Nodding in compliance, her teacher ran a hand through her long mane of glorious dark locks fondly before continuing, "What I'm trying to tell you here Hinata…"

Her pupil's eyes locked with hers as she cleared her throat before grabbing another sip from the tasteful beverage with a satisfied sigh.

"… is that I've known Kiba for a long time, perhaps not as long as you have but I guess you get the picture."

The young jounin seated across from her nodded quietly.

"He has always been the type of shinobi who thinks, decides **and** executes his choices on the spot. He never checks for the repercussions that his actions may cause for those in the immediate vicinity, due to him, of course, being as rash and impulsive that he has always been… but…"

Her curiosity and interest peaked due to where her former master was planning on taking her, Hinata kept her, now, half-empty cup close to her chin and maintained an unnecessarily 'tight' grip on the object.

* * *

><p><em>Now for the finishing touch!<em> Kurenai secretly smirked to herself with an innate knowledge as to how this might affect her favourite kunoichi emotionally… hopefully for the better.

"He... seems to be treating this situation surrounding the both of you quite 'differently'. Wouldn't you agree?"

Pondering over the previous statement with a confused expression visible on her pale face, Hinata began, "Well, he has been a-acting differently as of late sensei."

Nearly clapping her hands together at the fact that her pupil had finally managed to catch on to her indications, Kurenai chose to simply nod and continue, "But why would he be doing something like this Hinata? You… love him right?"

A blush and a shy 'yes' from the girl gave her the authority that she needed to continue, "Doesn't this tell you that he…" The Yuhi female effectively held her deduction back to make her statement make more sense to the girl.

"… thinks the very same?"

Leaving it at that, the ace genjutsu user simply chose to then watch the new set of emotions play out over the Hyuuga female's **now** completely shocked face.

_N-Nani?! Does K-Kiba-kun already love... me?_

Her cheeks ablaze and her heart thundering against her ribcage, mind being temporarily shut off from the world around her, Hinata felt an indescribable joy and feeling of guilt overwhelm her frame... both inside and out.

_Since h-how long has he…?_

Tears falling freely from her lilac orbs, she received a warm hug from the older woman who had, by then, decided to occupy the free space beside her on the couch on which she was currently situated.

Looking up at the red, yet kind, orbs that belonged to her ex-squad leader, Hinata smiled in thanks and said in a quiet voice, "I-I've caused him a lot of hurt haven't I sensei?"

Closing her eyes and tilting her head so that it would touch the younger woman's midnight blue locks, Kurenai offered her a tissue, which was gratefully taken by the former with another 'arigato'.

"..."

Once sure that the girl had calmed down enough from her emotional release, she spoke in a soft and kind voice.

"It's not your fault Hinata. Kiba certainly wouldn't want to blame you for his present state and he never would… of **that** I'm certain. Now then…" she patted her former student's back good-naturedly.

"Just go and tell him how you **really** feel okay?"

Snapping her head up at the happy grin present on the face of the motherly jounin, Hinata couldn't find the right words to describe her feelings of self-doubt to her... "B-But sensei… are you sure…?"

Nearly laughing out loud this time around, in a style awkwardly 'similar' to one Anko Mitarashi, the woman beside her got up from her perch and, gently grasping her pale hand, took her up with her.

"Silly, what does **my** opinion have anything to do with the both of you, hmm?"

Glancing away from her joyous gaze, the indigo-haired maiden bit her lip softly before looking back at the face that had replaced her mothers over the years that she had been a shinobi of her village.

"I'm just really happy that both of my **kawaii** students found a companion in each other… hmm… hmm!"

Turning a bright red at the frank declaration from her former teacher, Hinata felt a wild grin pull at her lips and, without thinking twice over her actions, gave the kind-hearted Yuhi a warm and nearly rib-crushing hug…

... imagining it to be one which she would have given to her lovely mother had she been alive and there with her during that magical moment.

"..."

Not overtly surprised at the girl's reaction, seeing as **she** had always considered the former as a younger sister anyway, Kurenai gave a satisfactory return to the physical embrace and, releasing the heiress from her grip, said in an uncharacteristically boisterous tone, "Now go and put a good leash on that boy!"

Giggling and feeling lighter than the air that she breathed, Hinata bowed deeply once more in respect and as a token of her thanks for the older jounin's assistance and... literally ran out of the building in her 'somewhat' mad haste to reach the man that she loved.

_I wonder where he would be at this time? Oh! That's right…_

* * *

><p>Back at the Yuhi residence, the dark-haired woman smiled with her arms casually crossed in self-satisfaction as she saw the love struck girl race off to find the man who had stolen her heart without her being aware of it.<p>

Glancing briefly at an old photo of the father of her precious child, she closed her eyes with a happy sigh.

_Good luck Hinata…_

_... and you too Kiba._

* * *

><p>With her heart confident in the love that she now harboured for the handsome and 'unaware' Inuzuka, Hinata wiped at her tear streaks to replace her expression with one brighter than the mid-afternoon sun; her pink cheeks nearly glowing as she raced off towards the place where she was sure that she would find him…<p>

... and be able to tell him.

_I'm coming Kiba-kun… please wait for me…_

* * *

><p><strong>Earlier in the day, along a gravelly path, during the time when Shino had confronted Kiba in another location in Konoha…<strong>

_He's mine…!_

_You'd better believe it Naruto!_

Finally catching up with the blonde whilst ceaselessly calling out his name, Sakura mentally decided it best to go straight for the kill instead of 'dilly-dallying' around with unnecessary chitchat... "NARUTO!"

"...?"

Turning his head around at the unexpected call, the whisker-marked male raised both of his eyebrows in shock and obvious surprise at the sudden arrival of his female friend.

"S-Sakura-chan! What are you-?"

He never finished… "!"

It was simple leap at the man…

... it was a simple touch of her lips on his parted ones…

... it was just the both of them, 'simply' laid out on the green grass.

Him below her and her lying on top, her eyes shut tight in silent pleasure at the mutual closeness of their touch.

The way in which the medic-nin had captured his mouth (in uncontrollable fervor), poor Naruto... had soon found himself to simply be scared out of his wits!

Unable to find the required strength to pull her off of him as well as being all too happy to return the affection showered upon his confused self, the jinchuuriki placed his palms hesitantly onto the small of her back, earning a sigh of contentment from her.

_I don't know why she is doing this but…_

He deepened the lip lock with a small groan of need escaping through his vocal control as the woman on top of him pressed herself further against his stationary form… _I certainly don't **mind** it dattebayo!_

Just when he was about to 'test' the untouched territories of his crush's hot mouth with his tongue, she began to pull away softly from him.

Freeing Naruto from the 'highly enjoyable' torture that she had been inflicting upon him, Sakura beamed down at the man who had loved her since time immemorial with half-lidded eyes, as he smiled back with a look of innate satisfaction shining through his cerulean blue pools.

_I was stupid… **definitely** stupid to want to miss something like this… like him... here... like this._

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto quirked an eyebrow and looked at her in concern while his over-imaginative mind began to panic. _Oh no! She isn't... regretting it now is she?_

His inner fears were however immediately extinguished by her lovely smile... which was directed towards him.

Stroking his whisker marks as if they were the things most precious to her in this world, Sakura moved off of him and sat beside him as he gathered his bearings once more and copied her actions silently.

"Um…"

He turned his head to look at her face, his own almost completely pink and flustered as a result of their prior 'activity'.

* * *

><p>Feeling oddly nervous all of a sudden in spite of what she had just thrown at the… ("Correction…!" she mentally added with a secret giggle.) … <strong>her<strong> ramen-lover, the pinkette was simply not able to convey her true motives for jumping the latter... in the middle of nowhere nonetheless, in the first place.

Snapped out of her trance when his bigger and warmer hand was placed over her right one, Sakura spoke up due to the sudden emotional jolt.

"N-Naruto I just…"

Turning her head away from his compassionate gaze, she berated her use of words with unrestrained criticism. _What do I tell him? That I just 'happened' to come to my senses because of what our mutual friend told me last night?_

Shaking her head in denial, she thought quickly before speaking up once more, this time with a fixed resolve shining bright in her words, "Naruto I wanted to tell you that-"

The man placed a forefinger on her lips before speaking in an uncharacteristically gentle tone, one that made her stomach's butterflies flutter around as if on a sugar high, "Don't say anything... Sakura-chan."

Scooting even closer to her as his blue eyes remained glued to her own green orbs, he continued, "I understand-ttebayo. You don't need to say it. But…"

Her voice got caught in her throat as he mentioned that 'one word' which she had been afraid of since she had first locked lips with him. _H-He's not having second thoughts now is he?_

Embracing her completely, Naruto whispered into her soft hair, making her cheeks turn a bright pink, "… I'm just… so happy right now dattebayo…"

Sakura could only whisper back in a tone that signified solid need and a **want** to be as close as humanly possible to the handsome blonde in her arms, "Naruto…"

Heart racing madly as if akin to a pack of greyhounds, the jounin could barely contain his excitement and, abruptly letting go of his new lady-love, he leapt to his feet...

... promptly raised his arms up...

... before letting out a roar of triumph… as if he had finally achieved the 'one thing' that had meant the most him since his earliest years.

"YAHOOO! Sakura-chan loves me too-TTEBAYO!"

"...!"

On any other day, Sakura Haruno would have beaten the hell out of the over-enthusiastic male for his vocal display of his inner feelings…

... especially if that 'display' involved her.

However, this time around, she couldn't help but giggle in amusement at his act of expressing his inner joy and uncontrollable delight.

"..."

Heaving deep breaths after having had his fill of yelling (and screaming), Naruto lowered his raised arms and grinned sheepishly at his favourite medic. "Uh… hehe, gomen gomen Sakura-chan. I got too carried away there dattebayo."

Giving his performance a small clapping response out of sheer amusement, Sakura got up and, putting a hand on her hip with a small smirk, said, "You done?"

Rubbing the back of his head in his usual, carefree fashion, the blonde male chuckled good-naturedly and replied with a cheerful 'Yeah!'

Shaking her head at his antics with her eyes closed, the kunoichi then grabbed onto his arm and getting close to him, spoke in a hushed tone, "Now why don't the both of us head somewhere more… quiet, hmm?"

Eyes wide and sweat flowing profusely down the back of his neck, Naruto nearly squeaked out a small, "N-Nani?" in response at her proposal.

Giggling in further amusement at his flustered visage, the pinkette gently dragged the reluctant male all the way to her apartment, thoughts of what they could get 'upto' in there making her cheeks burn with anticipation and heart thunder in apparent delight.

"Just come on you big lug. I've got something to tell you, Ha-ha!"

Swallowing the lump in his throat with a big gulp, the jinchuuriki dumbly let the feisty woman lead him to wherever it was that she planned to take him. _I hope that she doesn't plan to kill me for that display earlier though…_ Naruto's mused, a definite fear at his undecided fate shining through.

Although once he caught a good look at his girlfriend's happy face, he swore to not disappoint… and to keep her face just as happy and bright as it was at that moment…

... no matter what.

_I guess... that should be my new nindo now, Hehe!_

* * *

><p><strong>At the home of a 'no longer single' medic-nin<strong>

Opening the door to her personal haven, Sakura pulled the 'slightly more' relaxed male in with her and shut the door behind them with a motion that signified her initial plan to keep the both of them locked up in the cozy flat for a... 'lengthy' period of time.

_There! That should do it. (Sigh) Okay now what?_

Turning around to see the man still standing by her, the pinkette gasped out in surprise before gathering herself and, holding his hand once more with confidence, guided him into her…

_B-Bedroom?_ Naruto almost choked on his own saliva but managed to keep his previously gaping maw **shut** once her gaze landed on his face...

... one that proudly showed off his... 'hesitancy' to enter into her most private domain.

_Hm? Is he getting cold feet already?_ Sakura wondered with a secret giggle at her man's, pretty much, 'expected' actions.

Once inside the room, she glanced briefly at her bed and couldn't help but lick her lips in barely contained excitement before a voice from behind her made her turn towards the blonde jounin with eyes reflecting her curiosity.

"A-Ano, Sakura-chan…"

His glowing face showed her **exactly** what was running through his mind then and she blushed heavily as a result of having gotten a look at it.

"Y-Yeah? What is it Naruto?"

* * *

><p><strong>WARNING: The following events consist of a 'Semi-Lemon' and such. So, for those of you who don't like that sort of stuff, this is the unofficial END of this 11th chapter...<strong>

Placing his hands on both of her shoulders with as gentle a hold as he could manage in his current state of self-doubt and lack of composure, Naruto spoke, "Are you sure about this? Do… Do you want this… with me?"

Understanding exactly what he wanted to confirm from her firsthand, Sakura nodded and cupped his left cheek with a smile playing at her eager lips.

"Yes. I'm absolutely **certain** that I want this… with you Naruto."

Grinning with a relieved expression appearing over his once 'worried' face, the man hesitantly placed his hands on her small waist and searched through her bright emerald eyes... for her nonverbal permission to continue.

"..."

Blushing at the contact initially but keeping her bearings together as she felt his lips land on her jaw line, the medic smiled and whispered for him to proceed with his gentle and electrifying ministrations on her hips… 'gasping' as he tenderly nibbled on her flesh, causing goosebumps to erupt within her stomach.

_N-Naruto…_

Getting oddly 'impatient' with the slow progress occurring between the both of them, the woman tilted her face so that her mouth would cover his as if in a trance, making the blonde in turn act as if possessed and 'deepen' their passionate kiss.

His lustful groans... and her aroused moans as his lips found the nape of her neck made the temperature in the room suddenly **rise**; Naruto opening his eyes halfway and whispering out, "S-Sakura-chan… you ready?"

An almost instantaneous nod made him grin in amusement as his right hand found the buttons on the back of her dress, unbuckling them one by one… in an 'agonizingly' slow pace, making the aroused woman clutch his shirt with her nails pulling on the fabric.

"Mnn!" she nearly growled out in mild impatience at his cruel teasing, grabbing his blonde locks in protest.

Smirking at her adorable sounds, Naruto finally managed to undo all of the little obstructions which came in the way of his fingers against her fair skin… running his digits with a 'ghostly' touch across the soft surface and earning an abrupt gasp from his woman.

Biting her lip in slight embarrassment but miserably failing to keep herself quiet, Sakura felt her lover's cold fingers slide against her spine in titillating circles... as she placed her lips upon his once more, this time with 'more than obvious' need in her advances.

"Naruto- Mmm~!"

His tongue penetrated her mouth's warmth before she could speak out her desires successfully... promptly making her moan with her cheeks turning a glaring red in uncontrollable lust.

Having gained entry into the warmth of his beloved's mouth, the jinchuuriki moved his muscular organ gently over hers and felt her doing the very same, much to his joy and delight.

_Wow…_ he inwardly groaned, feeling the tightness in his pants grow by the passing second. _Better lie down before we both collapse dattebayo…_

Placing his trembling hands on her waist, the male gently pushed Sakura's weight down onto the mattress... as she readily laid her back onto the mattress with apparent ease and without **any** form of resistance from her side.

Smiling with her green orbs completely glazed over in lust, the pinkette felt Naruto's hands roam with concerned care over her form, pushing the back of her head into her pink pillow as his lips landed on the back of her smooth, exposed knee.

* * *

><p>"A-Aahn…!"<p>

Her voice being like sweet music to his ears, the jounin continued with his 'tasteful' torture by moving his lips in a flowing form over his pink flowers flawless body, nipping down on her inner thigh after getting rid of the obstructive piece of clothing covering it.

Unzipping her top with a mounting state of arousal, Sakura stroked his hair and gestured for him to move further up… all with her eyes.

Helping her smaller hand with the removal of her top, Naruto felt a decent amount of sweat form around his own torso and hence nearly ripped off his jumpsuit... his fishnet shirt following soon after, off of his heaving frame.

"..."

Staring with fully opened eyes at him for the very first time since their 'little' make out session had begun, the medic took in her boyfriend's glistening muscular form completely through her amazed orbs…

... drinking in his bulging biceps, his steadily rising (and then relaxing) pectorals and the droplet of sweat running down his neck and dripping onto her 'now' removed top.

"Nani?" the male inquired with a raised eyebrow.

Shaking her head with a content smile on her lips, the pinkette simply said, "Hmm… hmm! I guess... I like what I see Naruto."

Cheeks and nose turning an outright pink at her honest confession, Naruto smirked mischievously back at her and reached down for her bandaged top (the type that she usually wore underneath her upper outfit) whilst playfully nipping at her earlobe.

"Sakura-chan…"

Twisting like a tied-up snake underneath his larger form, she gasped at the touch of his hot lips but moaned once more… **louder** this time, as he grazed his teeth across the loose, tender flesh, effectively making her giggle a bit as well.

"Naruto... h-hayaku…"

Complying with her desperate plea and finding his 'excited' member all too responsive to the request, Naruto reached for his pants and, silencing the flushed female with a fiercely devouring kiss, unzipped them in one swift movement as she squirmed and gasped in his slick mouth… with her long nails grazing down his naked back in heated passion.

"N-Naruto… please…!"

"Hmm? What is it Sakura~chan?"

Feeling his naughty hands move across her 'now' exposed and free breasts, Sakura whimpered as the cold air... combined with the calloused pads of his fingers, toyed with her sensitive pink buds.

"Mnn…! Ugh… a-aah!"

Covering almost half of the softness of her right breast in his left palm, Naruto groaned as his thirsty lips met with the tiny protruding peak of his beloved's nipple, suckling at it with a small tug.

"Mmm…"

His sensual motions and voice were driving her insane as she grabbed his head with both of her hands and ran her fingers through his blonde locks... all the while pushing her chest further in towards his hot mouth.

"N-Naruto! A-Aah… more… uhn...!"

The intense warmth that was spreading across her bosom nearly made her whimper; nether regions starting to give off the heavy scent of her released pheromones into the air as the blonde noisily sucked on her teat... his **rough** tongue stimulating her tender nipples harshly.

* * *

><p>The sounds of her carnal moaning and his primal groaning echoed all around the walls of the small flat (and most likely across the corridors of the floor on which her apartment was situated) as the smell of unbridled, <strong>raw<strong> sex and heated passion flew like free vapour throughout the entire area of that one small bedroom…

… which currently housed the both of them as two, once lonely, individuals finally taking part in the pure, passionate and mutual act of making love with the one that they had always (even if it took one of them a bit of time to come to terms with it) loved the most.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Phew! Is it hot in here or what? ;D<strong>

**Anyways, 'Hayaku' in Japanese literally means 'Hurry' or 'Hurry up'.**

**Okay, I got a new review, crossed 2100 hits AND have finally decided on the true length of this fic.**

**Kindly READ & REVIEW some more folks and keep up with your regular tasks to the best of your abilities! I apologize if my 'very first' intimate scene did not live up to some of my reader's quality standards. But I'm TRYING! ;)**

**Until the next one… bye!**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter XII: Breakdown and recovery

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the below mentioned elements of this Manga/Anime series. They are all the respected and rightful property of their creators/owners.**

**AN: Hmm, so there are just about… 6 more chapters to go (including this one) people. Sad I know BUT all good things have got to come to an end soon right? ;D**

**This is the 2nd and last 'Landmark Chapter' for this fic… hope it satisfies you all.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>Yamanaka residence<strong>

Feeling bored and lifeless without the presence of her sweet boyfriend near or around her, a platinum blonde sighed with a tired outtake of breath... placing her head upon her left palm; the corresponding elbow situated comfortably on her knee. _(Sigh!)_

Half-heartedly moving her gaze over to her bedside clock, she snorted upon discovering that the time was exactly 8:00 am... on the dot. _Hmph, he said that we would go out again today too. The nerve of that man, he's late!_

Finding a smiling image of the Akimichi heir pop up in her head, Ino shook her head clean in a stubborn fit... _No! That… that baka Choji ditched me! That's what he did…_

_...  
><em>

Putting a halt to her angry tirade, the kunoichi sighed once more and glanced out of her half-open window with a morose mood about her depressed and, according to her, 'neglected' frame.

"...?"

Noticing a large person approaching her house at a 'more-than-casual' pace, giving off the expression that they were in a bit of a hurry, Ino found her heart rate quicken... before grinning outright and, leaping out of her bed, racing down the stairs to greet her man..._ Awesome, he made it! Boy, do I love that Choji!_

... or she 'would' have, opened the door to let him into her house that is, if her father hadn't decided just then to 'butt in' unceremoniously.

"..."

_N-Nani? What's daddy doing up this early?_

Slowing her rushed descent down abruptly and immediately hiding behind the large vase that was placed on a rosewood stand adjacent to the door, but about 15 feet back into the house, Ino raised a curious eyebrow at her father's actions.

_Shouldn't he be out of the house and at work or with his two best buddies?_ she mused to herself, mind cursing her luck as an 'interesting' scene began to play itself out before her baby blue eyes, quite a short distance away from where she remained hidden listening to the two men converse with one another…

* * *

><p><strong>At the door that led into the Yamanaka house…<strong>

Not expecting, even in his wildest of dreams, to be standing face-to-face with his blonde girlfriend's father, and that too at such an early hour, Choji felt a drop of fresh sweat trickle down the back of his muscular neck as he struggled to remain composed in front of the skeptical Yamanaka male.

_Phew, didn't expect to be meeting him **this** soon. Still, I guess that I did come a bit too early today._

Scratching his tattooed cheek with a wide grin plastered on his cheerful face, the jounin greeted his senior by adopting a polite tone. "Uh… o-ohayogosaimus Inoichi-san. How are you doing?"

"..."

Scanning the young man from head to toe with the air of a man keen on protecting his 'most treasured' possession from any outside forces, Inoichi raised his wrist in front of former's face, apparently aiming to bring something to his attention.

"It's 8 in the morning son. May I ask the reason for your untimely visit to **my** house?"

Choji promptly gulped down his nervousness as his mind began to race..._ Man, is **he** touchy in the morning!_

Finding himself literally stressed out as to how he would handle the present (tight) situation involving an 'obviously' suspicious father, the taller man simply rubbed the back of his neck and replied in a sheepish tone, "Well you see…"

Trying and failing to think up of a good excuse to provide in his defense at that point, the Akimichi decided it best to not hide the true purpose of his visit, seeing as the man currently standing in front of him was such a good friend of his **own** dad anyway.

"… I uh, actually came to v-visit Ino…"

"..."

Staring at the man as if he had heard wrong but finding his words falling short at that moment, Inoichi was just about to give him a 'questioning' retort before…

* * *

><p>Eyes widening in disbelief as she heard her honest teammate state to her father the real 'reason' for his visit, Ino nearly slapped a hand to her forehead in aggravation. <em>Of all the days to be telling the truth, why <strong>today<strong> Choji?!_

Feeling the mood deteriorate between the two men at a dangerously fast pace, she chose then to interrupt the ongoing proceedings at a mere moments notice... _(Sigh!) Better help him out before daddy starts breathing out fire at someone... again!_

* * *

><p>… he was halted in his vocal tracks by the unexpected arrival of his only child, thankfully clad in her normal attire rather than her other 'body-hugging' nightgown, raising his suspicions even further as to what exactly had been going on behind his back.<p>

_I was right! They **are** going out together!_ Inoichi inwardly yelled in despair; exterior exuding calmness with difficulty.

"Oh Choji! Ohayo, so you... made it huh?"

Ino artfully added emphasis on the word 'made' to help get her prior disappointment across to the oblivious Akimichi.

During the short period of time that the Yamanaka patriarch had been distracted by his beautiful girlfriend's arrival, Choji managed to mouth the words 'right on time!' over to her with a broad grin, expecting her to at the very least give him a smile in return...

... but was **completely** confused when she shut her eyes with a frown and turned her head away from his silent greeting.

_Eh? What's gotten into her today?_ he wondered... but was brought out of his subconscious by the slightly raised voice of a 'not-so-happy' clan leader.

"Ahem!"

"!"

Grinning in embarrassment at having zoned out, _He should blame his pretty daughter for **that** one, Hehe!_ Choji politely asked for the man to repeat his previous sentence.

Having had his doubts 'cleared' as soon as he had picked up on the look that had briefly passed over the young man's face when he had just seen his daughter come into view, Inoichi somehow kept his cool and said, "Why don't you have a seat and I'll…"

His gaze landed upon his 'baby girl' briefly before he plastered a difficult smile on his face, "… I'll be with you shortly."

"..."

Genuinely curious as to what the older shinobi would possibly have to discuss with him, Choji obediently did as suggested by the man and headed over to the living room while the senior blonde disappeared behind a door to their left...

... shutting it 'none too quietly' as he reached the other side of it.

As he walked past his 'miffed' lady friend, the male was just about to enter into the next room before a sharp tug on his collar nearly caused him to topple over in surprise... "Wha-?!"

Gathering his wits yet finding the intense and livid gaze present in Ino's eyes impossible to 'hide away' from, much to his misfortune, he simply gulped in fear at what awaited him in the next few seconds of his life.

_O-Oh boy, she looks **really** mad right now…_

Wanting very much to just strangle the life out of the man in her grasp yet also desiring to claim his quivering lips fiercely with her very own, Ino calmed her anger down a notch and muttered out through her teeth, "You're late."

She knew that nothing more was to be said beyond that.

_Hopefully he doesn't need a second reminding…_ she thought, cracking her knuckles in advance.

Blinking twice to process the new information before shaping his mouth into a small 'oh' of realization, Choji shamefully lowered his eyes and whispered out an immediate apology... "Gomen Ino-chan…"

Enveloping the utterly shocked man into a bone-crushing hug as soon as those three words had left his lips, the platinum blonde grinned secretly in victory.

_Hehe, I made poor Choji-kun apologize! Hmm… hmm!_

"Apology accepted… baka," the kunoichi replied, a naughty grin playing across her amused features.

Scratching his head as she sighed against his warm chest, Choji couldn't help but wonder as to how the girl even managed to 'function' properly on a day-to-day basis if she was **this** sentimental about the smallest of things.

Shaking such unnecessary ideas from his head, he returned her embrace with an eager one of his own, eliciting a small giggle through her adorable voice... which was (easily) capable of turning his **entire** form into complete mush.

_She really does make me stay on my toes! Ha-ha!_

Inhaling the flowery scent of the kunoichi's silky hair, the man buried his nose in the crook of her neck and sniffed deeply... making said woman **gasp** at his unexpected action.

"Ch-Choji! What if daddy sees…?"

Smiling at her cute, flustered voice, the burly jounin released the beauty from his grasp and planted a quick kiss on her cheek... making her cheeks flare up once more. "Silly Ino-chan…" _She really is something._

Fingering a spot on his shirt like a small child with her head lowered, Ino muttered out, a smile of her own slowly tugging at her lips, "I'm just worried about w-what he will say… that's all! Baka."

Finding himself unable to disagree with her at that point, Choji lifted her chin with his forefinger and was just 'about to' tell her exactly what he thought of her fear when…

* * *

><p>The sound of quiet whispering aroused the inquisitive nature of the now 'awake' blonde woman and she headed smoothly down the stairs with an easy elegance to discover...<p>

... her young daughter, in the arms of…

_Hmm… hmm! Well, well. What do we have here?_

"Ahem… I'm sorry for intruding on you two but..." she began, her silky voice having a teasing undertone.

"!"

Almost jumping out of her skin at the sound of her mother's voice, Ino placed a shaky hand over her panicking heart before turning around and reprimanding the giggling woman over her unwanted interference.

"M-Mother! What's the big idea of jumping us like that?"

Waving her hands in front of her whilst failing to hold back her own laughter at the look on the flustered blonde's face, which was in **no** way better than the 'beetroot red' present on the other youth's face, Izumi giggled softly.

"..."

Waving politely at the older woman with an uneasy smile on his face, Choji felt the situation surrounding the both of them, him and Ino that is, get out of hand due to the constant 'problems' that were arising around them... courtesy of her family.

_(Sigh) I should have known what I was getting into when I fell in love with her. No point in regretting it **now** I guess, Hehe…_

Walking over towards the couple whilst mentally fantasizing as to how her future grandchildren would look like, Izumi quietly held out her arms for her red-faced daughter to take.

_She looks **so** adorable when she is embarrassed. No wonder Choji-kun fell for her in the first place! Hmm… hmm!_ she mused, remembering beautiful memories from days past.

Raising an eyebrow at her mother's odd behaviour, _(Sigh) She's always been eccentric anyway…_ Ino sighed and rubbed her temple with her left hand in embarrassment.

Glancing towards the man beside her who stood in place with his arms crossed and an understanding smile on his face, she nudged him 'none-too-gently' and found him answer her immediate concern with a mere shrug and gesture towards her parent.

"I think your mother wants to talk to you... Ino~chan."

Glaring at the badly disguised chuckle in his amused voice, the blonde 'hmphed' and, accepting her mother's proposal, headed upstairs with the woman... _Hmph, I really wanted to spend the entire day with him too…_

Feeling his cheeky grin from behind her, Ino turned her head towards her love, smiling back in spite of her current state of dissatisfaction at how things had played out for the both of them.

_Well... I can only **hope** that daddy doesn't make him do the laundry while he is here! Hmm… Hmm!_

Wondering as to why the girl had snickered to herself before vanishing around the corner on the upper floor and out of his range of vision, Choji simply shrugged and thought back on how 'adorable' she had looked with her trademark frown over her cute forehead before it.

_Yosh, I guess that I'll be all by myself for a while._

His state of inner calm and relaxation, as he made himself comfortable by getting seated on the Yamanaka 'loveseat', was sadly short-lived however...

... as rounding the corner behind him was the mildly irritated parent of his 'kawaii' girlfriend…

… who had already managed to hatch an evil and dastardly plan… at least according to him… to keep the 'distance' between his precious daughter and the son of his old friend to an absolute maximum.

_I don't care what Choza will think of me for this but if his son wants to date **my** daughter then he'll have to prove himself capable first! Hehe…_ Inoichi thought, his own version of the 'evil laugh' resonating throughout his currently twisted psyche as he eyed the unaware young man with a Cheshire grin forming across his face.

* * *

><p><strong>Front porch, Nara Residence<strong>

Somewhere in another section of Konoha, Shikaku Nara sneezed in sudden surprise due to his old friend's miserable attempt at hatching an 'ingenious plot' to satisfy his wants, whatever they may have been.

_(Sigh) How troublesome. That old fart's at it again huh?_

The bearded man let out a silent prayer for whoever was the unfortunate soul to be at the receiving end of the Yamanaka leader's evil eye… _They're gonna need it if it's **Inoichi** they are dealing with, the old kook!_

* * *

><p><strong>Back at the Yamanaka house…<strong>

"Ahem..." The blonde man adopted a serious demeanor before letting the other male become aware of his presence.

"!"

Springing up from the seat as if electrocuted from behind, Choji steadied himself and replied back in 'more-than-visible' haste... what with Inoichi being the father of his beloved Ino and all, "Hai!"

Clearing his throat once more for better effect, in spite of the fact that it only managed to make him **cough** soon after, Inoichi continued, "Would you care to help me out with some chores today? Seeing as your…"

He held back the wicked chuckle in his voice, "… 'date' is busy at the moment." _Now to see just what you're **truly** made of, 'son of Choza'!_

"..."_  
><em>

Turning pink due to the fact that her dad had discovered their little 'secret', Choji simply nodded his head in well-enacted eagerness at the proposal offered to him. _Well, I'll atleast be able to impress her dad if nothing else. Yosh… let's do this!_

"I'll be glad to help you out Inoichi-san."

He followed it up with a bow... pulling it off in as perfect a manner as he could, just like his mother had taught him since he was a little tyke.

Smirking at the acceptance of his bait by the young jounin, the cunning man led the unaware Akimichi over to his outdoor shed, deviously rubbing his hands together whenever the man got distracted by any of the flowerbeds that fell in their path.

_Let's see how well you can paint my walls Choji…_

His eyes glanced back at the smiling youth behind him, _… with **wet** paint! HA-HA!_

* * *

><p><strong>Epilogue (of this 'master plan')<strong>

Unsurprisingly, a joyful Choji did the work without taking more than '15 minutes' at the simple household task.

Inoichi, strangely enough, was not found **anywhere** near his house for the rest of the day due to the overburdening shame and humiliation that he had suffered at the hands of his daughter's boyfriend…

… **his** future son-in-law.

_This isn't over yet Akimichi!_

* * *

><p><strong>At an obscure sake bar, in a shady section of Konoha...<strong>

"One (hic) more…" a slurred voice drawled out at the man who was polishing his gleaming collection of glasses.

"Yeah, comin' right up…" came the knowing reply.

"..."

Hearing the steady trickle of the amber liquid hit the bottom of his drained glass, a brown-haired man ran a lazy hand through his unruly locks and hit his buzzing head onto the counter below him with a groan.

"Enjoy your drink sir," the bartender said... in a voice that 'openly' professed his professionalism towards the customers of the bar, regardless of what he personally thought of them.

Waving him off with a hand that could barely stay up anymore, Kiba grabbed the drink and, hesitating only slightly, chugged it down with a relieved groan emanating from his burning throat.

_Aaah… that hit the spot…_ he sighed inwardly, wiping off the stray drop of the liquor that had dribbled out in his haste to quench his thirst, from his jaw line.

Thumping the, once again empty, object back onto the flat surface, the jounin hung his head... his form slumping on the unsteady stool that he was sated upon.

Thinking back on how he had ended up in his current 'pathetic' state, the dog-nin sighed quietly and massaged his left temple before resting his throbbing head in his arms…

_I'm so (hic) fucked up right now… d-damn…!_

* * *

><p><strong>Flashback<strong>

_Heading on for home like he normally would… but being constantly nagged by the fact that he was doomed to be only a 'friend' in his angel's eyes, Kiba clutched his aching heart and stumbled whilst trying to regain his balance._

_Having never felt **this** mentally and emotionally weak ever before in his life, he closed his eyes as a stray tear slipped past his drooped eyelids and onto the grass below his wobbly feet._

_("Kuso… I just can't tell her. It's better this way... at least she won't reject me if I **do** tell her.") **(AN: 'Kuso' means 'Damn' in Japanese)**_

_Kiba's train of thought proved to be too much for him then, especially considering that he had been suffering from this 'particular' ailment for so many years in secret, behind the closed doors of his unrequited feelings towards the beautiful heiress. It was almost as if his 'will of life' was steadily fading away from his grasp._

_("Pathetic…" he mused in disdain, "… just pa-the-tic.")_

_Feeling an unusual thirst appear in his chest and then rise up towards his choked throat, the dog-nin trudged on in his misery, towards the one place..._

_... and towards the **one** thing that he had never thought would interest him in any way.  
><em>

_Alcohol._

_Always having believed it to be an easy method of escapism for those with a weak mind, the Inuzuka male had made sure to keep his distance from the 'devils drink'… but… **now** found his soul desperate for it. _

_Like a craving that was just beyond his immediate reach…_

_... quite similar in nature to something, or rather someone, else that had been on his mind since the last few weeks of his life._

_Hands resting on a nearby metal pole to regain his body's normal posture, Kiba nearly felt like throwing up due to the severe attack of depression on his 'normally' laid back mind then._

_("Just one drink won't hurt… just one…" he meandered on, hands now buried deep in his pockets and head hung in shame, hoping that anyone who knew him wouldn't notice his entry into the shady bar through whose doors he was pushing his body at that moment.)_

_"..."  
><em>

_The smooth, saxophone oriented tune being played in the corner of the establishment reached his ears and helped to calm down his inner turmoil and guide his footsteps towards the counter where he could demand his liquid courage._

_"One glass of sake on the rocks… and make it quick!" he forced out in an uncharacteristically menacing tone, hoping to get this unprecedented event over with as soon as possible and then finally head for his home._

_Sadly, Kiba got held up with 'much more' than what he had originally bargained for…_

_… and he knew it._

**End Flashback**

* * *

><p>Taking the drained glass to be put away for later cleaning, but finding the morose man unwilling to part with the fragile thing, the bartender frowned in understanding but still persisted in his attempt to make his customer part with it.<p>

"Sir, you've been drinking for the past hour…"

The jounin glared at the one who wanted to separate him from his drink and snarled lowly as the man continued on, undeterred by the warning signal, "… and your bill is mounting by the minute. Care to pay?"

Too wasted and mentally absent to notice the demanding undertone in the older man's voice, Kiba shook his head with a frown and, running his left hand through his hair in an effort to make the aching stop, tugged on his glass in serious defiance.

"O-Oi…! Get me another (hic!) glass will ya?!"

Rolling his eyes at the obviously drunken state of the man, the bartender forcefully pulled his glass back from him and ignored the spout of curses directed his way from the mouth of said 'stubborn' customer.

_Kid probably can't handle his liquor much. (Sigh) Business just isn't what it used to be like once I guess._

Almost about to furiously punch the man while his back was turned, Kiba found his shaky fist falling short, landing instead on the counter and accidentally smashing some of the other glasses present instead… and once the large individual turned back towards him with a deep frown, he gulped with a little of his sense returning back to him.

_F-Fuck. He looks mad._

"Now you've done it kid, no more 'Mister Nice Guy'!" The large man rolled up his sleeves, preparing himself to throw out the dog-nin 'face first'...

"..."

Somehow by the grace of the one watching from above, who he had originally thought to have always hated him and his miserable guts, the Inuzuka caught sight of his bug-friend appear abruptly beside him and offer the miffed bartender a crispy note amounting to '200 ryo'...

... before pulling him by the elbow towards a more quieter section of the dark bar... not a single 'syllable' escaping the thin line that was his mouth the whole while.

**(AN: Ryo is the currency used in 'Naruto', with 1 Ryo = 1 Penny and 100 Ryo = 1 Dollar)**

The bartender calmed down 'considerably' at the offer made by the heavily cloaked man and, pocketing the note without another word, waved the both of them off, before returning to attend to his other waiting customers.

"..." _Well..._

Looking at the sorry excuse for a jounin with a raised eyebrow, Shino, being his frank self, stated in a blank voice (that left his disappointment in his teammate undisguised), "Need I ask how you ended up **here** of all places Kiba?"

Covering his mouth briefly as he felt another hiccup come up, Kiba tucked his hands into his pockets while looking 'anywhere but' at his frowning friend.

"..."

Showing the type of patience that would have made even the most 'fussy' of painters and sculptors proud, Shino repeated his query once more, "I said…"

Snapping back at him in a slurred tone, that held solid traces of his recent 'activities', Kiba nearly yelled out, "I know what you (hic!) said Shino! You think I'm deaf or somethin' huh?!"

Adjusting his glasses on his nose before nodding as if in compliance at his drunken teammates claim, the Aburame jounin decided to adopt a different approach to lessen their current 'communication gap'.

"But why drink Kiba?"

The other man glowered momentarily at the interference portrayed by his teammate.

"Are you **that** weak-willed?" Shino finished fearlessly, unafraid of the Inuzuka's short temper.

Wanting to smash his fist clean into the calm face of his jounin pal, Kiba growled in irritation and, placing a hand on his forehead with a groan at the pulsating pain that was attacking at him from the inside, slurred out in reply, "I… I just wanted to (hic) get some things o-off of my mind…"

* * *

><p>Gesturing for the unstable man to take a seat, much to the latter's relief, Shino placed his right hand on the table's surface and let his friend continue.<p>

"I'm fed up."

His ears perked up at that in interest although his expression remained as passive as ever.

"I'm done with this… this shit Shino! I can't **take **it anymore!"

Shoulders shaking badly by now, the young man felt a tear slide down his cheek as he rubbed at his tattooed face in vain... trying to stop the flow of the salty liquid.

"It's okay."

His gaze shifted over to a composed and contemplative Shino, eyes wide in mild shock.

"It's okay… to let your inner sufferings come to the surface once in a while."

"..."

Swallowing the growing wetness in his throat and trying to ignore the urges to drink yet another round of the honey-coloured liquid, Kiba licked his burning lips while replying to his ex-squad members concern, "Y-Yeah… damn, I'm such a mess Shino."

Knowing that he would have to provide an ear for his obviously troubled dog-friend, the dark-haired male proceeded to place his 'second' offer on the table, so to speak.

"Care to tell me about what's been bothering you lately?" _I think I may know that one thing which might have driven you **this** far off track Kiba._

His uncomfortable compatriot's answer was **exactly** the one that he had initially expected... and had feared.

"It's (hic) her... Shino."

Feeling his hiccups gradually die down, Kiba could feel something inside of him break away… almost like when he used to snap in anger in the past during missions or fights but…

... this was worse, oh so **much** worse.

Banging his head suddenly on the wooden table and covering it with his arms as if trying to hide himself away from the world's eyes, the Inuzuka heir's body shook with the sobs that he had kept tucked away inside of him for so long… so very long.

_I… I don't know what to do! D-Dammit it all!_

Hot tears of grief slid down his face as he found it hard to breath, 'gasps' of inner hurt escaping his partly opened lips every few seconds.

His eyes widened when he felt a light hand on his shivering shoulder, able to recognize the cold touch almost anywhere in spite of only coming into contact with it on a few rare occasions.

Kiba looked up at his 'now' standing friend… who was looming over his frail form like an umbrella would during a rain storm. _Sh-Shino…_

_(Sigh) He's never been more wrong… better correct him._

Shino gave his teammate's trembling form another understanding squeeze of reassurance... "You're... wrong Kiba."

The brunette's confused look left the calculative man undeterred from his task as he ploughed on in his deep voice, while remaining greatly concerned about his fellow jounin on the inside even though he didn't show it, "It's not Hinata who will be of use to you here… it's **you** who should be taking action against this…"

The taller man's voice calmed further before he finished the statement, "… suffering of yours."

"..."

Bemused at the other man's flow of thought, Kiba placed his head once more in his hands as a new set of sobs shook his body and made him struggle with his next words, "But I-I… I love her Shino!"

Unimpressed with that old piece of information, Shino calmly stated, "So tell her."

Certain that he had heard a hint of annoyance in the voice of the bug-user, Kiba gathered himself and said in a low voice, lower than the one used by the cicadas that chirped during the quiet night, "You k-know that I can't do that don't you?"

With his head hung low, the Inuzuka heard a sudden thump on the table in front of him, courtesy of a flat palm that had been slammed onto it.

His moist eyes followed the dark-green appendage all the way upto the collared face that belonged to his bug-friend.

More impatient, and surprisingly frustrated, than he had **ever** been before in his entire life, due of his teammate's apparent stupidity and theoretical blindness... Shino pulled him upto his feet 'none-too-gently' by the elbow and earned a shocked look in return.

"Yes you can! Just grow a pair and confront her about this Kiba."

"...!"

Presently 'incapable' of providing the correct response towards that, the dog-nin simply kept his mouth shut as the somewhat 'angry' Aburame pressed on.

"Even if… she doesn't return your feelings, you won't have to let your entire life get **wasted** in a place such as this." _Not to mention that I won't have to baby-sit you every second day because of your cowardice. Wait…_

Having received a 'much-needed' brainwave at that point, Shino tried hard not to smirk in amusement at how badly his depressed friend would take his new persuasion strategy.

"But, I guess that you're simply too…"

His dark gaze never left Kiba's shocked look, "… **cowardly** to ever take any action."

* * *

><p><strong>Meanwhile, with a frantic kunoichi<strong>

She had been heading over to her new love's secluded home but had found him nowhere to be found, even after she had inquired about his whereabouts from the white ninken, Akamaru.

_I wonder where he could be at this time of day? He should returned back home for his lunch by now._

Hinata racked her brain whilst traveling down the semi-crowded streets of the village in her quest to meet up with the Inuzuka.

Blushing heavily upon discovering that she had absolutely no idea as to what she would say once she **did** come face-to-face with him, the pink-cheeked Hyuuga looked left and right while not knowing where to look first… when...

... out of the blue…

"!"

Her sharp vision spotted her other squad member head inside a…

_Bar? Shino-kun in such a place? What in the world?_

The heiress wondered what she should have been more worried about, asking her bug-friend for the whereabouts of her new love or as to **why** he had entered into such a shady place to begin with.

Upon entering the dimly lit bar, the foul smell of alcohol and various 'other' intoxicants wafted up her small nose as she grimaced and covered both, it and her mouth, in outright distaste.

_Oh! How horrible, why would he go into such a… scruffy place?_

Her confused gaze searched left and right before landing on the back of a jacket wearing man, whom she instantly recognized as the Aburame she had sought out, but…

_K-Kiba-kun?! W-What is he…?_

Even though her brain had registered an instant reaction from witnessing such a scene, Hinata's lips failed to form coherent words.

The recent discovery leaving her frozen on her spot with no idea as to what to do about the situation at hand, Hinata found more and more doubts take birth in her mind by the passing second.

Snapping back to reality once she saw the both of them walk away from the gleaming counter and, hoping that they wouldn't notice her presence, the woman hid behind a nearby support beam and listened in on their conversation in spite of feeling guilty at doing so.

_Kiba-kun… why were you drinking?_

Her heart ached to see him in this sorry state but her hands were tied at that moment so, clutching her fists together with a 'growing' sense of uselessness creeping in, the lilac-eyed kunoichi wisely chose to wait things out.

_I can hear what they're saying._

She soon found the conversation bordering on something that had apparently been eating away at the Inuzuka for quite some time. _What could have been bothering him so much? C-Could it be…_

Her inner doubts were immediately clarified when Kiba, himself, declared in front of more than half of the drunks of the lowlife bar _exactly_ what he thought of his female teammate and best friend…

* * *

><p>"But I-I… I love her Shino!"<p>

* * *

><p>"..."<p>

_N-Nani?!_

Left utterly speechless at the confession made by the sobbing dog-nin at that moment, Hinata placed a shaky hand over her thundering heart as she felt a tear slip past her eyelash...

... onto her blazing cheek; silent lips trembling uncontrollably.

_K-Kiba-kun really... loved me? All this time… sensei was right…_

The kunoichi, feeling utterly helpless, was about to break down out of guilt right then and there...

... yet managed to place a trembling fist against a nearby support beam in good time, lest she crashed to her knees in despair at the sad state of affairs that the both of them, her and Kiba, had enwrapped themselves in due to their separate concerns.

_If only I had known… then…_

Shaking her head clear of such 'unwanted' negativity, the heiress rose properly to her feet and resumed her proper stance as her lips formed a smile of real and genuine happiness for the first time since she could last remember being happy or even the slightest bit joyful.

_No! Kiba-kun needs me right now. I-I should be there with him… but…_

Her planning on how to share in his sorrow had to be left for a later time as she saw the man shout something back at the bug-user in undisguised contempt and indignation... probably at the latter's previous allegation.

* * *

><p><strong>Back with the two conversing men…<strong>

Kiba was fine with being called a useless drunk, the way he was at present. He was **fine** with being called a wild, untamed beast… a dog without a leash.

But…

"I'm… not… a… coward!" He certainly **wasn't** spineless.

"..." _That's exactly what I wanted to hear._

Grateful that his 'victorious' smile was so well covered by his high collar, Shino tucked his free hand back into his pocket and turning around, began to take his abrupt leave from the unhealthy place.

Looking back once more at the (currently) flabbergasted man behind him, he said in a quiet voice, "Now... you are ready Kiba."

The other man simply stared at the shady jounin and hung his lips partly open, as if trying to come up with a protest... yet failing miserably.

"Do your best…"

The Aburame heir adjusted his dark goggles once more with effortless ease at the task, "… and make Hinata happy."

"..."

At that moment of inner reflection, two 'not-so-distant' voices inwardly muttered out in slow understanding (and with an innate sense of gratefulness) towards their mutual friend and squad member…

_Shino…_

_Shino-kun…_

* * *

><p><strong>Outside the accursed place where only the weak folk of society often find themselves<strong>

With his point being made, Shino pushed open the door leading out of the bar and made his way over to places best known to him and his now 'relieved' heart and mind, secretly smirking at the thought of how exactly his male friend would confess his feelings to the Hyuuga female.

_Hm, I could have had a drink for myself too…_

The buzzing of his insects made his smirk grow in depth as he casually headed of towards his next destination.

_… but… no matter._

* * *

><p><strong>Back inside…<strong>

Glancing at the glass in his hand, _How the hell did that get there again?_ Kiba growled lowly and with a mighty 'effort' on his part, smashed it on the floor with a satisfied feeling rising in his chest at the act. _There! How do you like that? Huh...?!_

Forcing himself to not smile at his tiny 'achievement' and ignoring the angry yell of the bartender in his direction, he made his way out of the rotten place in visible haste.

"..."

Once outside, the dog-nin felt the after effects of his heavy indulgence slowly take its effect upon his body and nervous system as he grabbed his forehead with his hand, letting out a painful groan.

_Oh man… I'm so gonna **hate** this in the morning._

Tripping slightly in his steps, Kiba anyhow grinned at the harsh treatment that his teammate's words had given him earlier and vowed to not let the bug-user's advice go to waste.

_Not if I can help it. Shino's right, it's high time I took matters into my own hands already._

Recalling the presence of a small pond that fell in the way of his home, he thought it best to at the 'very least' wash his face and rinse out the foul taste of alcohol from his mouth…

... especially considering how his temperamental mother would 'react' upon discovering that he had been... drinking.

Kiba shuddered at the very thought and felt the last of his hiccups at last escape him.

_Don't want that now do we? Hehe…_ he chuckled silently as his steps slowly started to become stable once again.

_..._

"...?"

Noticing that her drunken teammate had already trudged out of the shady joint, Hinata wiped at her eyes once more with one final sniff and followed suit with absolutely no further interest in remaining in the **revolting** place any longer.

_(Sigh!) It feels so nice to finally be out of there…_ she mused with a deep, refreshing intake of breath, noticing that there also as no sign of her target anywhere nearby.

_Oh well_, the kunoichi smiled, in spite of the dilemma that she then found herself in._ I know how to get him to meet up with me later._

With that decided she hurried back to the place where the method of sending her message across to Kiba would be waiting for her…

... the ever-loyal ninken, Akamaru.

_I hope that he doesn't decide to go home already. I must hurry..._ Hinata thought, her heart thumping harder at the notion that by the end of the day, she and Kiba might 'just' be together at last.

_Like it was always supposed to be…_ her lips formed a content smile as an image of the rough, rowdy yet 'still lovable' dog-nin appeared in her mind.

* * *

><p><strong>At the Inuzuka compound<strong>

Hinata arrived at the home of her love and, clearing her throat, immediately called out for the large white dog that belonged to the latter.

"Akamaru!"

Bounding down the steps of the house at the call of his 'second-most' favourite person in the world, the huge animal nearly broke the door down in his effort to get out to greet his lovely visitor.

Giggling in amusement as the affectionate animal gave her cheek dozens of doggy kisses in less than a minute, Hinata lowered herself towards the fluffy ears of the ninken and whispered out, "Akamaru I-I need you to do something for me…"

"Woof!" the dog wagged his tail while hardly managing to stay still as she snickered at his excitement once more.

Knowing for a fact that, Kiba and Akamaru had developed their **own** method of communication for each other like all Inuzuka's and their familiars, she proceeded to tell him of her plan on how to get Kiba to meet her somewhere…

... all alone.

_I hope this works… I'm counting on you Akamaru._

Wagging his thick tail in understanding at the proposed idea, Akamaru barked aloud and licked her milky cheeks once more before watching the young woman leave with a wave, her kindness towards him shining bright through her half-lidded lilac eyes.

"Arf! Arf!"

_..._

The K-9, understanding what the female wanted from him, made a mental note of making sure that her planned strategy achieved its fruition through him.

_That Kiba… now poor Hinata has to do all the work because of **his** stupidity._

The animal shook his head with a huff._ Humans…_

"..."_  
><em>

Blushing as she thought, yet again, about what exactly she would tell Kiba once he met up with her at her planned location, Hinata took out the photo of her mother from her jacket and smiled at the expression on the kind woman's face.

_I'm finally going to be happy mother. Just like you always wanted me to be._

Seeing her destination appearing over the horizon, she whispered out her final words of encouragement towards herself, "I h-have to be strong… for the both of us."

Glancing behind her at the path through which the dog-nin would eventually arrive through, the dark bluenette clutched the photo close to her chest and sighed with a sense of calmness blossoming in her spirit as she awaited her 'well-wisher'…

… the very same one who had always been by her side yet had never allowed her to acknowledge his 'invaluable' importance to her life.

* * *

><p><strong>A few hours earlier in the day, while Kiba was out and about near the lake...<strong>

Checking on the tea once more just to make sure that the milk hadn't 'burned itself out' and ruined her effort, Hana Inuzuka sighed wistfully while adjusting her hair into a safe bun, lest it catch fire like the **last** time that she had tried making breakfast.

_(Sigh) No wonder mom and Kiba complain about making it all the time._

Having just missed her younger brother by a few minutes as he had rushed out of the house to go 'Kami knows where', the accomplished veterinarian laid out some of the special (crunchy) 'biscuits' that both her mother and brother seemed to enjoy to a great extent.

_Phew! That should do it for breakfast!_

Hearing the arrival of her 'now awake' parent into the kitchen, Hana grimaced, _She can cook lunch later today if she wants. There's **no** way that she's making me do that, no sir…_

Wishing the Inuzuka matriarch a pleasant 'good morning' and receiving a tired grunt in response, the brunette felt a droplet of sweat trickle down the back of her head and got back to placing the tray upon the small table that their little family used to eat on.

_At least we don't eat on the floor…_ she couldn't help but sigh to herself...

... **before** her mother's sharp voice brought her back from her thoughts.

"Hana! When do plan on letting me have my first meal of the day?!"

The sound pierced almost right through the 25 year old's sensitive eardrums, not unlike their clan's infamous 'Tsuga' technique. **(AN: Tsuga or 'Passing Fang' is an offensive Inuzuka technique)**

Tsume's barking demands proved to be successful in making her adult daughter hasten with her duty, the latter grabbing a seat in haste. _Wow, can **she** yell in the morning!_

Frowning at her young pups lack of concentration, the older woman dug into her meal 'none-too-politely'...

... as her daughter tried to restore some etiquette into the frame of things by using basic cutlery… the sounds from the other end of the table making her wince every now and then.

"..."

After what seemed to be a few tense minutes of silent engorging and absolutely **zero** conversation, Hana had a thought pop up in her mind and immediately pounced on the opportunity to open up a bit of a 'talking session' with her mother.

"Um, mother…?"

Looking up from her meal, Tsume fixed her young one with a look that simply said 'speak up fast or I'll eat your food too!'

Running a couple of fingers through her 'now' untied locks, the vet continued, "Have… have you noticed that Kiba's been acting... strange lately?"

"..."

"...?" _Why doesn't she answer?_

Diving for her scrumptious cutlet, as soon as Hana had finished voicing her concern for her sibling, Tsume merely grunted back in response.

Astonished at the indifferent attitude presented by her parent, the brunette nearly yelled out her disapproval, successfully reminding anyone 'listening in' that she herself was as feral as any pure-blooded Inuzuka.

"Mother!" _I just can't believe her guts sometimes!_

Sighing this time around, Tsume swallowed the large piece of meat in her mouth and said in a bored voice, "Hai hai… I heard you the first time Hana."

Crossing her arms across her chest, the younger female kept her frown in place. _Honestly, both her and Kiba make me feel like an adopted child sometimes! They are so much alike… both in attitude **and** social skills._

The woman contained her next growl of disapproval but couldn't beat her parent's 'ultra-sensitive' hearing in her attempt.

* * *

><p>Clearing her rough throat, the Inuzuka matriarch gave her agitated daughter the answer that she was waiting for...<p>

"Yeah, I noticed."

Hana's ears perked up at that, genuinely interested in what her mother had to say about the whole situation surrounding her brother, who she was definitely fond of but still treated like a misbehaving child... much to **his** agitation and **her** amusement.

"Hmm, Kiba's been acting strangely ever since he's started spending more and more time with that Hyuuga girl."

The young woman couldn't argue with her parent on that front since her observation had hit the target 'bang' on the spot.

The vet had, on more than one occasion, caught her brother staring at his squad member with a look of 'longing' in his deep brown eyes and a scent of excitement emanating from his form.

_Just how Akamaru gets when around him…_ she mentally concluded with a nod.

"You're right mother. I think it might have something to do with Hinata after all."

Suddenly barking out in amused laughter, much to the flabbergasted expression of the female across from her, Tsume nearly cackled, "You don't think she **dumped** the slob do you? HA-HA-HA!"

Rubbing her temples in mild exasperation, the vet replied, "No mother, I **don't** think that's the case here."

Drumming her clawed fingers on the polka-dotted tablecloth, the older kunoichi raised an intrigued eyebrow at her daughter's insinuation whilst chewing on one of her biscuits absentmindedly.

"Whaddaya mean?"

Finding the perfect chance of making the parent aware of her son's frail emotional condition, Hana gathered her next words carefully... "You do realize that he's not argued with **either** of us for the last 3 days or so."

Keeping tabs on the 'suddenly attentive' woman's expression as she ploughed on, Hana spoke with increased confidence, "Also, he hasn't **once** complained whenever you've reminded him of any of his chores or such. It's obvious that something's eating away at his mind, preventing him from reacting in his usual aggressive manner."

"..."

Finally understanding where her daughter was coming from, Tsume frowned, and closing her eyes, leaned back in her chair with her arms crossed in deep thought. _Hmph, she's right. Kiba hasn't snapped back at the both of us even once. I wonder if it really **is** the girl…_

Opening her slit-like eyes, the Inuzuka female nodded her head in Hana's direction and spoke in a serious voice, "Hana… that really backs up my claim that it **is** indeed the girl who's been at the center of things regarding Kiba right?" _(Sigh) I might have to bring up that marriage issue in front of him again..._

Personally speaking, she had no ill will towards the Hyuuga heiress. In fact, Tsume was quite amused by her shy and well-mannered personality and was 'secretly' hoping for her son to bag her through 'said' marriage procedure soon.

_Heh, It would be a perfect match anyway. That boy needs someone beside him who's actually **got** a brain!_

"Uh… mother? You okay?"

* * *

><p>Pulled out of her trance by her other child's voice, the woman scratched her cheek sheepishly with a toothy grin, much akin to her son, before hearing out what the other kunoichi had to say.<p>

"Hehe, sorry Hana just zoned out there."

Sighing in defeat, the younger brunette face palmed, _Yep, they definitely **are** mother and son..._

"So what you're saying is that thinking about Hinata all day is causing that baka to lose focus 'as well as' his impatience with the both of us?"

The older woman nodded once more in agreement, her smirk unwavering.

"..."

Now Hana didn't know whether to sigh again at her brother's hopelessness **or** laugh outright at his messed up love life. _I bet he doesn't even have the guts to ask her out yet! Hmm… hmm!_ she giggled to herself as a scenario akin to her brother's 'confession' popped up in her mind.

_Oh boy, that'll be hilarious to watch!_

Noticing the look on her mother's face and finding it hard to hold it in any longer, she burst out laughing... with the older woman in tow. Both of them being 'all too happy' to derive amusement at the Inuzuka males expense.

Having calmed down after their laughing fit at the condition of the 'man of the house' and his love related issues, the duo smelt a disturbance in the air and whipped their heads towards the kitchen window…

… only to spot a messenger pigeon flying casually their way, it's beak holding a small 'scroll' of some sort.

_Is that…?_

Tsume's eyes widened in realization as she flung the window open in haste, nearly squashing the poor bird in her impatience while Hana reprimanded her for being so rough with the creature.

"Easy there mother! Don't kill it…!"

Tearing open the seal that had kept the scroll rolled up, the Inuzuka matriarch scanned the contents of said message with a smile forming on her lips by the passing second.

"HA!"

"!"

Startled by the woman's yell of joy as she tended to the 'manhandled' bird, Hana stared at the former as she gestured her over.

"Take a look at this baby!" the woman laughed outright with an air of haughtiness about her, "It's the answer to all of our problems!"

Wondering just what could be written in the message, the brunette read through it thoroughly and with her confusion 'rapidly' dissipating, felt more excited than she would have initially felt about such a thing.

_Whoa… a week-long mission?! In **this** day and age…?_

Her thoughts were interrupted as the sounds of her mother racing upstairs, to pack the necessary equipment required for the trip, reached her ears.

**That** was then followed by the older woman yelling for her to come and help her with the task.

_(Sigh) I guess Kiba will have to cook his own breakfast for the next few days._

With that thought in place, the kind woman wrote down a quick note for her brother... one intended to inform him about their multiple day mission, and placed it on the small table in their living room inwardly hoping that the jounin would notice it soon 'instead' of panicking as he usually does whenever they leave him home alone for days on end.

"Coming Mother!" Hana yelled back and glancing at a photo of the man who had been at the front of her thoughts lately, smiled with a sense of knowing.

_Don't be afraid to tell her you goof… 'perfect' girls like Hinata don't grow on trees you know! Hmm… hmm!_

* * *

><p><strong>A few short minutes later<strong>

Having finished with their preparations, both mother and daughter headed out to rendezvous with their Hokage, in relation to certain 'last minute' details that the both of them wanted cleared, and then move out to carry ahead their required task.

Knowing that her mother would be **ecstatic** at finally having gotten some action to look forward to, Hana simply prayed with a heavy heart that her brother would look after himself well and not burn his fingers whilst trying to prepare his meals…

* * *

><p><strong>Present time, at the Inuzuka compound…<strong>

Breathing on his palm one last time and feeling satisfied at the positive results, Kiba remained innately grateful that his clan's metabolism allowed the effects of alcohol to drain away from his system at a much faster rate than it would for 'normal' people.

_Man, it would have sucked if mom had caught me like that…_ he mentally shuddered, hoping that something as pathetic and weak-willed as that would never be repeated in the remaining years of his existence.

Reaching for the door, he surprisingly found it unlocked.

_Weird, there's usually someone at home._

Opening it wide and removing his winter jacket to hang it on its peg by the side, with his natural body heat being 'more-than-enough' to keep out the cold present inside the house, Kiba ventured further into his home and called out, "Mom? Hana? I'm back!"

Hearing only silence as his own voice ricocheted back into his ears, the dog-nin shrugged and headed for the couch, hoping to give his throbbing head a 'much-needed' break.

_Guess they (Yawn!) went out somewhere…  
><em>

As he lay down on the blissfully soft surface, Kiba's eyes landed on a folded piece of paper having his name on it... "Hm? What's this?"

Unfolding it, he immediately recognized his sister's 'neat' handwriting and read through the entire thing with an exasperated sigh escaping him towards the end.

_I **don't** burn things Hana…_

Not really caring about the fact that he would be 'all alone' in the house and around the compound, with the exception of his energetic K-9 companions, for a whole week, the jounin let out a disinterested yawn and stretched himself out… hearing a few relieving 'pops' resonate across his body.

_Whoa… that felt good._

_...  
><em>

Had Kiba paid more attention, he would have instantly noticed the lack of a certain white-furred abomination around him. Considering his recent state of being dead from the waist up however, it was no big surprise that his observational skills had deteriorated slightly.

The peace didn't last long however, as around 10 minutes later, a large white mass came running into the Inuzuka home on all fours, through the unlocked door and across the hallway until it had located it's target...

... in an extremely vulnerable state of rest.

"WOOF!" _Hey! Rise and shine sleepyhead!_

"!"

Nearly startled out of his pants, as he fell off the couch and onto the carpeted floor… hard, Kiba wiped the drool from the left side of his face and held his head as a classic hangover hit him like a ton of bricks, despite the fact that he hadn't shut his eyes for more than 5 minutes.

_Ugh! Damn… I'll throw myself off the side of a waterfall before drinking again!_

"..."_  
><em>

Opening an eye to notice his best bud seated on all fours beside him, the dog-nin stumbled to his feet and grinned at the large dog, undeterred by his relentless licking.

"O-Okay... okay boy! Ha-ha, save some for tomorrow will ya?"

Getting off of his master, Akamaru suddenly recalled the previous message that he had been 'entrusted' with and barked aloud once again to get the Inuzuka male's attention.

"What is it buddy? Hmm? She… WHAT?!"

The message given by his teammate entering his 'now' alert brain, Kiba slapped a hand to his forehead and, petting the K-9's furry head absentmindedly, ran out the door and towards the location given by his loyal ninken.

Following his owner until the front porch, Akamaru couldn't help but let out a doggy chuckle at the way things had shaped up for the tattooed jounin.

He saw Kiba take a sharp right before disappearing from his line of sight completely.

_Good luck old buddy, you're gonna need it._

* * *

><p><strong>With a frantic Inuzuka male<strong>

His journey towards his destination wasn't what was nagging at his mind at all... it was the odd 'feeling' that kept tickling his gut every now and then that made him get uncharacteristically nervous about the meeting with the indigo-haired maiden.

_Wonder why she wanted to meet up with me all of a sudden?_

Leaping from tree branch to tree branch in haste while trying to figure out the reason for her calling him all the way to 'that' place, Kiba shook his head as he landed on solid ground once again.

_Man, I'm thinking too much. She probably just wants to do some evening training for all I know…_

He couldn't help but feel pained at that harsh fact though... that he was only her ever-present teammate and friend…

... and nothing else.

"..."

Seeing the location appear in his vision and catching a good whiff of the air surrounding him, the male smiled wide, his inner doubts forgotten... _Hinata… she's here._

How could he **ever** miss her heavenly scent that made his stomach do multiple back flips and his chest grow unbearably warm?

Kiba Inuzuka was still a bit late… thankfully though, not **too** late for the event that would change the rest of his life… for the better.

_Hm? Didn't she sense me comin'?_

"..."_  
><em>

Her hair blowing gently with the early evening breeze as the sun prepared itself to set for the day, Hinata turned around with the most stunning smile present on her angelic face…

… as if welcoming the arrival of her one, **true** love.

"Kiba-kun… you made it."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: 2300+ hits AND growing!<strong>

**Awesome, now as many of you might have figured out already, the next chapter is gonna be the 'much-awaited' LEMON! So, any of the folks who don't like that sorta stuff, I'll make sure to mark its beginning and end for ya.**

**Kindly Read & REVIEW this one too while you wait for the next one people!**

**Thanks once again for making this fic what it is today, love you all!**

**Adios!**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter XIII: At last… the lovers inevitable union

(Part 1)

**Disclaimer: Need I repeat myself? LOLz**

**AN: So then, I'm sure that most of you might be well aware of what is going to 'happen' in this one! ;D**

**(PS: I'll be sure to mark the starting of the 'MA' genre stuff so don't fret people)**

**Enjoy the first part of this 'historic event', Hehe!**

* * *

><p><strong>In a place far away from worldly troubles… stood two lonely souls who had, since long before, been destined by the stars to become one…<strong>

A gentle breeze blew by the two people who were standing all alone in the middle of that one 'special' place where one of them had shared their most intimate secret and had, in turn, received the acceptance and support of the other.

_H-He's here…_ the woman smiled to herself, her chest feeling far warmer than it had been mere moments ago.

"..."

Watching the beautiful creature standing only some feet in front of his frozen form, the man swallowed the lump in his throat and felt sweat form near the back of his neck; his breath quickening as his eyes moistened at the unattainable.

_Hinata… if I could only tell you…_

Subconsciously clenching his right fist, as was habit whenever he got nervous or tense, Kiba opened his wordless lips to speak out in the blushing kunoichi's direction… as his feet moved on their own, closer to her and her heavenly scent which was carried his way by the evening breeze.

_Kami, her scent really drives me nuts sometimes,_ he mused offhandedly as his teammate glanced away, her cheeks redder than he had ever seen them before. _(Sigh) She's so damn **perfect**._

"..."

Noticing him getting closer and closer to her, the lilac-orbed woman felt her fingers tremble and her lips quiver; heart preparing itself to just about leap out of her chest… _Kiba-kun… how can I t-tell him?_

Her cheeks turned crimson and she clasped her hands in front of her, both held together as her head hung low; eyes downcast and looking **anywhere** but at the dog-nin.

The soft sounds of his footsteps nevertheless made her throat run dry and her eyes lose focus. _I-I can do this… because…_

Her milky orbs connected with the man she loved, with the former being right in front of her… his brown eyes 'burning' into hers with undisguised want. "A-Ano… Kiba-kun… I-" she began...

... but was cut off before she could continue.

"Hinata."

The heiress looked into his warm eyes, noticing how his gaze flickered in the direction of her unsure lips for a brief moment before canceling the visual connection that they had 'right then' shared.

"I… I must tell you something Hinata… something really important."

Now suddenly curious and having her prior hesitation momentarily forgotten, Hinata tilted her head cutely to one side and inquired in a soft voice, "H-Hai? What is it?"

"..."

Sighing, as all the emotional pain that he had endured so far burned his chest from the inside… relentlessly, Kiba placed his hands tenderly on the shoulders of his angel, meeting her eyes once again before replying.

_What could it be?_ the Hyuuga wondered as completely foreign emotions played themselves out on her Inuzuka friend's contorted face. She couldn't help but note how the deep frown on his brow refused to ease.

"I-I..." His voice betrayed him as he sighed again at his half-hearted actions. _It's now or never big guy… this is for the best._

The woman who was in his grasp made no move to release herself from his hold. Instead, she raised her own hand to gently cup the left cheek of her best friend and love… blushing as she did so but not 'refraining' from the bold action.

"W-What is it Kiba-kun?" she bravely inquired, her eyes bright and almost glowing in the dimming light... quite similar to the full moon looming above them.

* * *

><p>Eyes almost watering as she looked at him with unrestrained concern and compassion flooding out of her beautiful eyes, the jounin felt his courage crumble a bit but rose up again with his resolve stronger than ever... courtesy of her patient prodding.<p>

_She doesn't deserve this… **or** me. I've gotta be honest with her._

Clutching her snowflake like hand in his large one with great care, he whispered out in a voice that completely exposed his emotional weakness to the kunoichi listening to him, "H-Hinata… I-I…"

Her eyes widened slightly, she began to harbor a fleeting idea as to what the hesitating male was about to confess to her. Although whether the unknown feeling was due to 'divine intervention' or something else, she would probably never know.

"… love you…"

"...!" _K-Kiba-kun…_

Tears of joy forming in her orbs, Hinata didn't bother **or** care to wipe away the tiny streams of liquid flowing down both sides of her cheeks as her heart fluttered and soared to unimaginable heights… due to those simple yet 'priceless' words, coming from her love's lips.

Finding his own tears about to escape him at any moment, Kiba took a shuddering breath and, grasping her other hand with undying care and caution, spoke once more. _This is my only chance to tell her… yosh._

"I love you Hinata. I love you more than life itself..."

_O-Oh Kiba-kun…_ the woman nearly cried out loud but choked upon the wetness of her throat... _I-I knew it..._

Wanting 'so much' to speak out her own dormant feelings at that very same moment, Hinata was genuinely surprised to see a sad look form over the dog-nin's face... something that made her pumping heart momentarily stop in slight fear.

_W-Why does he-?_

Slackening his grip on her shoulders, Kiba stepped back a bit and continued, "... but… I-I know that you can't return my feelings… and… that's okay."

"...?!"_ N-Nani? What is he saying?_

Her mind raced in distress and her hand raised itself to touch him, to make him stop and listen first to what she had to say. _Kiba-kun… wait please…_

Turning away from his one and only love, the man trudged away from her by a few steps and sucked back a miserable sob, cursing his lack of control over his emotions. _Crap. I didn't... want her to see this._

"You've... always loved Naruto Hinata. I knew it from... the very start."

"..."

Hearing him out in silence, wanting him to speak out whatever was held back in his heart before he shut himself away again, Hinata clenched her fists tightly as her tears continued to flow.

Sucking in a deep breath, the Inuzuka continued, "I-I've never wanted for you to have to **choose** Hinata… not even once."

Voice growing steadily weak, his words continued to remain firm whilst holding onto their cold truth.

"You're too good for me Hinata. I realized that a long time ago… and…" The dog-nin glanced up and noticed a shooting star, feeling a sad smile spread across his lips, "… all I ever wanted… was for you to be happy… always."

* * *

><p>"K-Kiba-kun…"<p>

Hinata's voice cracked as she almost sobbed outright on her spot... somehow managing to run the short distance straight towards her depressed teammate and wrapping her arms around him.

She wanted to tell him just how much she appreciated his concern for her feelings… his innate care in relation to her troubles, as his **own** heart suffered in the process.

"I-I love you too… so much…"_ So **very** much._

"Hinata...?"

Eyes widening more than they ever had as he felt his angel enwrap his form with her own from behind, her hands clasped around his chest in a **desperate** grip of wanting to never let go and her cheek almost glued to his left shoulder, Kiba almost choked out his next words.

"W-What… did you say?" _Am I hearing things now?_

Smiling at his confusion as she sighed against his back, Hinata whispered out, her voice having 'so much' love and confidence flowing through it that she surprised even herself with her words.

"Hai Kiba-kun. I love you too… ever since the day that... Naruto-kun rejected me."

Her gaze lowered for a tiny moment before she brightened her expression once more and resumed her confession, "It was on that very same night. I-It took me a while to figure myself out but then…"

Turning himself around to meet her honest gaze, which was more than enough to make him want to crush her in his embrace, the dog-nin could only stare and say, "R-Really? Really Hinata?"

Stroking his right tattoo with a joyful yet serene smile adorning her pale face, she whispered, "Would I ever lie to you Kiba-kun?"

"..."

Touching her hand with his fingers, tentatively at first, Kiba felt himself smile… then grin…

... and **then** he chuckled in outright elation as his angel joined in wholeheartedly in his mini celebration. _HOLY CRAP! She loves me! **Hinata** loves ME!_

Coming down from his emotional high, the Inuzuka, to be frank, didn't know from where to start but her voice cut him off before he could come up with a viable decision.

"Kiba-kun."

Meeting her eyes, his grin unwavering, the excited male waited with bated breath as she glanced away in embarrassment and continued slowly... "I-I saw you… and Shino-kun in the b-bar today." _I hope he doesn't get mad that I spied on him and found out about his feelings **before** he even voiced them! Hmm… hmm!_ she inwardly giggled, albeit with slight unease.

"..."

Mind suddenly fearful (eyes successfully displaying his innate fear), Kiba took a couple of steps back while his favourite kunoichi pressed on with a small smile still on her adorable face.

"S-So I already knew that you… l-loved me Kiba-kun." Her eyes downcast, Hinata finished in a low voice, "I'm sorry... I-I didn't mean to."

_Oh man! No wonder!_ he mentally slapped himself on the forehead as realization hit him like a hammer on an anvil. _I would've easily sniffed her out if I hadn't been so drunk!_

* * *

><p>The sound of her nervously shuffling her feet, added with having her eyes still being connected to her sandals... made his heart nearly melt at the display of purity and innocence. <em>You silly girl…<em>

Kiba couldn't help but smile at the heiress's cuteness in that small moment of vulnerability.

Walking towards her and reaching for her soft cheek, the Inuzuka made the former look towards him as he openly grinned at her guilty expression. "Hmm, it seems that we have a bit of a... 'problem' here Hinata."

Donning a look of contemplation and crossing his arms whilst chuckling secretly to himself on the inside, Kiba met her slightly befuddled gaze and said, "There's only one way that we can solve this I suppose."

If she had paid attention to the tone that he had adopted for his last 'spoken' word, the Hyuuga female would've probably seen it coming. Unfortunately, she was much too flustered and concerned about her 'punishment' to notice the fact that Kiba was smirking deviously in her direction.

_Oh I hope that he's not too angry with me,_ she shivered slightly with anxiety as to what the man had in store for her.

Smirking at her flustered visage, Kiba reached both of his hands behind his head and, tilting the latter to one side, spoke in a cheeky voice, "Maybe… a **kiss** would settle the score?" _Here it comes... hehe!_

"?!"_  
><em>

Heat rising to her cheeks and mind nearly losing its consciousness at the very notion, Hinata nearly squeaked, "N-Nani?" _**That's** what he had in mind?!_

Pointing to his right cheek with a grin, the dog-nin chuckled and gave it a couple of taps, "Aw Hina-chan! Just a wee one on the cheek pwease…"

Covering her laugh with her hand but failing to contain her giggles in the least, the once flustered woman gasped out, "Hmm… hmm! Kiba-kun! You're so mean."

Frowning slightly as he embraced her tenderly, letting his rising body heat transfer snugly to hers, Kiba replied with mock hurt lacing his tone, "But… that's why you love me so much hime!"

Blushing at the sudden 'bodily' contact with her teammate-cum-best friend-cum-boyfriend, Hinata shyly returned his hug and sighed quietly in his shirt while he simply held her with a shudder escaping him.

_Wow, someone up there really loves me I guess… _he inwardly grinned._  
><em>

Reaching up to give him exactly what he wanted, Hinata smiled and touched her puckered lips gently upon the Inuzuka clan's marking on his right cheek, successfully making the man turn beetroot red and almost stutter out his surprise, in sheer disbelief that the woman had 'actually' gone ahead and done it.

"H-Hinata?" _Whoa, she actually did it! Damn, it felt good…_

Unable to contain his overjoyed grin, it was no big surprise then that the man ended up looking like a completely love struck **goof** to the female in question.

Removing her lips from their rightful place, Hinata softly spoke, as her love's tender gaze remained connected to her own, "H-How was that Kiba-kun?"

_She's gotta be kidding me here! What **else** would it be like?_

Kiba scratched his messy hair for a second before replying in a tongue-in-cheek manner, his poker face in place, "It was… okay." The sly Inuzuka followed his nonchalant statement with an easy shrug, trying to disguise his mischievous grin from his angel all the while, "Could have been better."

"...!"

Flabbergasted and slightly hurt, the Hyuuga heiress spoke out in a louder tone, her face red in embarrassment and uncharacteristic anger, "Kiba-kun!"

* * *

><p>Claiming her lips suddenly with his own at that, but not before witnessing her mesmerizing glare in his direction, Kiba ignored her shocked gasp and continued to move his lips across her own 'untouched' ones... groaning with pleasure at the tasteful contact. <em>Oh man… she tastes delicious, just like I had hoped.<em>

Tilting his head to deepen their heated lip lock further, the dog-nin moved his arms around her curvy hips and onto her small waist, feeling his cheeks burn up and his self-control falter by the second.

_Wow... _In that short moment, he had recognized her taste to resemble that of vanilla and apricots… lots of them!

_Hey, there's some blackberry in here too!_ **(AN: LMAO!)**

"!"

Shocked and surprised out of her wits at the Inuzuka's abrupt action, Hinata absolutely **didn't** know what to think during the time that the man tasted her mouth with 'unrestrained' eagerness and passion, making her cheeks flare up and her hands tremble as they struggled to maintain a grip upon his broad shoulders.

_K-Kiba-kun… _Her mind felt like it was about to become 'numb' as she finally managed to gather enough control over her own response to the intimate contact with the handsome jounin.

_This… feels good,_ the kunoichi mused, gasping out as Kiba's adventurous fingers dug tenderly into her soft flesh. _I like it. My very first kiss… with Kiba-kun._

Her eyes being shut tight, Hinata was completely blind to what her partner was upto at that point.

It wasn't until he had 'committed' the felony that she moaned in his mouth in arduous passion at the mischievous touch.

Two souls were sharing intimate and sensual contact for the very first time under the twinkling stars of the night sky…. undisturbed and uncontrolled. _Hehe, making out with her under the stars… (Sigh) what could've been better?_

The way his woman was whimpering in his grip nearly made the nerves in his brain explode as he struggled with his emotional control... _Man, I've wanted to hold her like this… for so long…_

"Hinata…" he whispered against her lips as they separated briefly to catch their breath, panting lightly as the repercussions of their previous act struck both of their hearts and minds with abrupt force.

"Uh… I didn't force it too much… did I?" Kiba inquired, his gaze looking apologetic and his hands still placed gingerly on his angel's amazing hips, her own glazed orbs still linked with his; face entirely flushed with pent up desire.

"..."

Glancing away from him in embarrassment at her body's reactions and response to his touch, Hinata mouthed out her next words in such a low volume that the dog-nin, in spite of his great hearing ability, had to strain his ears to catch them.

"N-No… it was… good Kiba-kun."

Thinking back on it, she felt it right to add with a smile, looking towards the male with love radiating in her eyes throughout, "I l-liked it… a lot."

Grinning widely at her cuteness about the awkward scenario surrounding the both of them after their **intense** first kiss, Kiba mentally yelled, _That was some lip lock! Ha-Ha!_

The elated man felt lighter than a cloud right then; beloved Hinata still in his protective hold.

"U-Um… Kiba-kun…"

"Hm? What is it hime?"

His husky voice made her come closer into his arms and bury her form once more in his embrace, his breath tickling her hair and her heart beating in rapid beats within her chest as his warmth swept over her.

They were pressed so close together that Kiba could literally 'feel' her heartbeat due to her large bust that was squashed cozily against his own chiseled chest.

"C-Can we... um...?" she began in a small voice.

* * *

><p>"...!"<p>

Her query caused him to partially break their physical connection, courtesy of his shock and astonishment.

_I can't believe that **she** of all people would want this so early!_

Hinata raised her head, meeting the widened gaze of her boyfriend whilst he stroked her cheek with so much affection... it made her cry… on the spot.

"Hey…" he gently cooed... "… you know there's no rush. It will happen when it has to Hina."

Shaking her head like a stubborn child, the Hyuuga female frowned slightly and repeated, "No Kiba-kun. I… I want this… with you."

Finding his chest become warmer than it was a moment ago and his breathing more erratic than before, the tattooed jounin simply hugged her again and inhaled a deep sniff of her midnight blue hair, causing her intoxicating scent to waft up his nose.

_Damn, she smells just like heaven would… so arousing yet pure._

Coming back from his brief trip to his personal paradise, Kiba gently breathed into her left ear... effectively making her turn pink, "If you want it Hina… then I'll do **anything**."

The way in which he stated his eternal commitment to her made her smile and return his touch with one of her own…

... or she 'would' have, had he not reached at a snails pace towards her neck… and suckled gently at the nape of said unprotected neck.

"A-Aahn…!" she gasped out, her fingers digging themselves into his brown locks.

Feeling his pants become tighter than they had ever been before due to her 'calls' of pleasure, Kiba groaned in need and smothered his girlfriend's neck and jaw line with nips and kisses of the highest order.

_Nothing but the best for her anyways! Hehe…_ he inwardly smirked in amusement before hearing her whimper out his name…

… and **that** was when he nearly lost it.

"K-Kiba-kun…"

Her breathing became unstable as her cheeks burned her; chest feeling tighter and hotter than it had ever been. **All** due to her reaction to the passionate man's attempted touches and oral worship…

"… Aah!"

A particularly sharper suckle on her jaw made her become like mush in his strong grip as he deepened his advances, while still being extremely concerned about her level of comfort.

_H-He's always been like that, hmm… hmm!_ the kunoichi managed to giggle to herself despite her vulnerable condition in Kiba's hold.

"Ugh… Hinata…" the Inuzuka blurted out whatever came to mind during that spell of ecstasy that he felt, tasting his angel's smooth, flawless flesh thoroughly and fully… whilst she moaned out his name every few seconds, sweat pouring down her own neck in her aroused state.

Inwardly excited yet still hesitant about exploring the heights of her beau's 'wild' nature and his masculine dominance when they would actually… do it, Hinata still knew in her heart of hearts that she would never regret sharing those beautiful moments of her life with someone like him.

Someone who would 'understand' her wants and needs while still guiding her carefully through it all, his hand entwined in her own with all the love and compassion in the world...

... and then some.

"Aah… Kiba-kun m-more…!"

Her desperate tone was driving him wild and poor Kiba was completely entranced under the spell of her voice… much to his unbridled delight since he hadn't planned to 'free himself' from it anytime soon anyway.

_... _

That is, until he was forcefully pulled out of the state, right when his fingers had sent shivers up the gorgeous woman's spine with their ghostly touch along the 'curvular' formation…

… by his old and faithful K-9 pal nonetheless.

* * *

><p><strong>Some feet away from where the young couple were all over each other...<strong>

"WOOF!" _Found them!_

* * *

><p><strong>Back with the surprised pair<strong>

_Wha-?_ Kiba began but, upon easily differentiating his familiar's distinct scent from the thick, aroused one belonging to the female in his arms... groaned out loud instead.

"...?"

Looking towards the exasperated man first and then towards the large dog with her eyes half-lidded, Hinata raised a flustered hand to her lips and pulled back from her jounin boyfriend, if only slightly... while Akamaru stayed fixated on his spot as if he hadn't just witnessed them almost 'eat' each others face off some seconds ago.

Rubbing the back of his head, his cheeks pink and with more than the required colour present on his face, Kiba chuckled and spoke, "H-Hey buddy, how come you're here?"

Ignoring his pal's lame attempt at covering up his recent 'endeavors' from him, the ninken rolled his eyes and barked out something back at his owner. "Arf! Arf!"

"..."

Raising an eyebrow as she sensed her partner frown slightly at the dog's call, the indigo-haired maiden inquired, "W-What did Akamaru say Kiba-kun?"

Turning towards her, with his smile back in place, Kiba replied all too happily, "Well, he said that we should find ourselves a room soon."

"..."

"...!" _Oh shit did I just **say** that?_

The kunoichi's expression alone said it all.

_Yep, I did. Fuck._

"..."_  
><em>

Turning red all over, Hinata could feel the steam blowing out of her ears as she stumbled briefly in his grasp.

Recovering a bit due his stabilizing gesture of maintaining a steady hold onto her shoulders, she slapped a hand playfully on his chest, "Kiba-kun! Y-You're so dirty!"

Giggling as he cuddled her from his amused position, the female heard him whisper out...

"Gomen Hina-chan but it was **his** suggestion." The Inuzuka thumbed in Akamaru's direction to add emphasis to his accusation.

Said dog barked in indignation at his best friend and turned away from his apologetic expression in mild annoyance, turning his tail up at the offer.

Sighing after what had been a long time, _Heh, I can't even remember anything that happened before our kiss… I'm not gonna let my little Hime-chan get away now! Ha-Ha! _Kiba scooped up a surprised Hinata into his arms, bridal style, and headed off at full speed towards his home...

... not even bothering to give his dog-friend a wave goodbye.

* * *

><p><strong>At the exact same time as the Inuzuka took his leave…<strong>

Akamaru watched as his best pal and the Hyuuga heiress headed off for that 'one place' where they **and** their activities would remain undisturbed and out of the range of unwanted eyes.

Chuckling to himself in his husky style, obviously at his master's intentions with the female who was going to be his future mate and part-owner to the former, he thought, _Better head off somewhere for the night, it's obvious that they're going to be… 'busy' for a while anyway._

Looking back in the direction of his pal's lingering scent trail, Akamaru wagged his tail in excitement of what would come in the future for the two shinobi.

_Good luck you two._

Trotting off to find someplace to spend the remainder of the night before he would, eventually, head back to the compound in the morning, the large dog mentally added with his humour at full flow, _Humans… always trying to complicate the simplest of things, Ha-Ha!_

* * *

><p><strong>With the love struck couple<strong>

Thoughts of the beautiful night that they would soon share ran through his mind and made his heart beat at a frantic pace due to the uncontrollable anticipation within his aroused system.

Letting out a small 'eep!' at the males unexpected action, Hinata let herself be carried to 'Kami-knew-where' by him… giggling in excitement as she thought about what he had planned for the both of them.

_I trust him,_ she thought. _Kiba-kun, if you… w-want that tonight then I'll... do my best._

Her thoughts were momentarily left for another time as she suddenly realized exactly **where** they were heading... her carrier leaping from rooftop to rooftop with amazing agility and stealth.

_W-Why are we going there?_ the kunoichi asked herself incredulously but decided it better to 'voice out' her doubts at Kiba's choice of location.

"Kiba-kun…?"

"?"

He looked down at the beauty in his arms and grinned in understanding, as if he knew exactly what she was going to ask him.

"Yeah Hon?"

"..."

Blushing at the marital term but shaking her mind free of the 'pleasant' distraction, she continued, "U-Um, why are we going to your house? Won't your m-mother say anything?"

Laughing outright at her innocence and lingering sense of proper etiquette, Kiba replied back in a cheerful voice, "Aw, don't you worry Hinata. Both, Hana and mom, left for a 'week long' mission today so…"

He left the rest to her imagination, smirking at the naughty thoughts, or lack thereof, that would find their way into her chaste mind at the new information.

Finding herself smiling hesitantly at the fact that they would remain 'undisturbed' for such a long time, she reasoned with herself half-heartedly, _B-But I wouldn't want to be with him for that long… what if someone sees us?_

She, nevertheless, remained silent until they had reached their final destination.

* * *

><p><strong>The Inuzuka compound… where, for the 'very first time', Kiba would feel content and at peace...<strong>

Landing upon the grassy earth, Kiba gently let his angel back on her feet and pecked her upon her milky cheek... the latter turning away from him with a blush and giggle.

_Kami, I want her so much…_ he felt himself mutter innately with his hands nearly trembling, desperate to place themselves all over her 'hourglass' frame… due to the ethereal and highly desirable body, that had haunted his dreams since he had discovered his deep feelings for the gorgeous woman, being right in front of him.

"Shall we?" he inquired politely, making her blush further into his loving embrace... his face buried in her hair; dastardly grin in place.

"Hai… lets," Hinata whispered, feeling happier and more accepted than she had ever felt in years... _I can't believe that I'm so… so excited about this._

Opening the door before letting her enter first, Kiba guided the girl up to his room… his hand grasping hers gently as he kept his eyes locked with hers throughout.

Reaching his rooms door, he thought,_ (Phew!) This is it Kiba… the point where you chicken out due to the pressure, Ha-Ha!_

Turning the doorknob and helping her enter with another small peck on her pink cheek, the dog-nin turned around and shut the door… not bothering to lock it at all, knowing that no one would be there to enter in on them **and** that neither of them would want to leave the room anytime soon…

... least of all him.

_At ease boy!_ he inwardly chuckled.

Gesturing towards his bed, the man said with a kind smile present in his voice, "Have a seat Hinata… don't worry, we'll talk a bit first okay?"

"..."

Nodding with a corresponding smile of her own, the kunoichi accepted his offer and found herself enjoying the embracing warmth of his bed as well, as if imagining it to be the jounin male himself.

_It's... just as warm as him._

Scratching his tattoo as he took his seat beside her, observing how her hands remained conjoined in front of her blushing frame, Kiba scooted closer… trying to ease the distance between them before finally reaching for her.

Touching her face, he felt her relax and accept his closeness without her usual hesitation... a sign he deemed as being positive. _(Sigh) Okay, here goes… nice and easy…_

Placing his forefinger under her chin and turning her face his way, the dog-nin said, in a voice that expressed his innermost feelings in the best possible way, "Hinata… I love you, I always have. But... I guess you **already** know that by now right?"

Her nod in his direction encouraged his approach as she replied with, "I know Kiba-kun a-and…" She hid her face in his chest, hugging him tightly as if afraid that he may leave her or disappear, "… I really love you too. It's s-something that I realized only recently but…"

Kiba lifted her face once more with unconditional patience and smiled at her blush.

"… I guess that I have always loved you more than just a… a friend or a teammate."

Sighing in relief, the Inuzuka cupped her cheek and placed a slow, quick kiss on her nervous lips before holding her close… as if almost trying to hide his prize away from the world.

"Hina-chan, I just want you to be **absolutely** sure that you want this… because…" He lost his will to continue but came back to his senses once she began to return his hug.

"… I don't wanna rush you into anything. If you're comfortable with this... with me... then… then we'll-"

* * *

><p>It 'seemed' to be her turn to return the favour right then and that was exactly why she kissed him back in a similar fashion, later on smiling shyly at his surprise at her bold action.<p>

"I-It's okay Kiba-kun. Really, I want this… with you. I really do."

Hinata had always been shy and quiet but she hadn't been stupid… and she **certainly** wasn't a fool now either.

For the first time since she could last recall, she knew what she wanted and how she wanted it.

_It's time that I became honest to myself and to… to Kiba-kun about all this. Yes, I'm ready to do this with him… I **know** I am._

"..."_  
><em>

Smirking at her confidence with a hint of pride, Kiba whispered in her ear, "Well then, how about we get started hime-chan?" He grinned at her flustered reaction and gave her a one-armed hug in good humour before giving his precious 'treasure' an apologetic kiss on her cheek.

"Gomen Hinata… I promise to go real slow with you alright?"

Her eyes widening at that, the kunoichi whirled herself towards him completely, an all-important question on her lips... which she proceeded to thoughtlessly blurt out in her 'panicked' haste. _D-Did he?_

"S-So, you've d-done this with someone **before** me Kiba-kun?"

"..."

Mouth momentarily agape at her insinuation, Kiba slapped a palm to his forehead in slight aggravation at his use of words. _Shit, I shoulda kept tabs on the way that I said that. (Sigh) No matter, I've gotta clear the air now I guess._

Smiling at the obviously worried and depressed woman beside him, the man said in a soft voice, "Do you honestly believe that I would have wanted to make love to some random girl **or** have pointless sex with someone who I don't even love Hinata?"

"... U-Um..."

Silenced and embarrassed at her silly suspicion of the male who she 'claimed' to have trusted completely, Hinata fiddled with her forefingers once more in shame... _(Sigh) I've already started pointing fingers at him before we even… 'started' dating._

Catching onto the resulting guilt that she felt for asking such a question, Kiba stepped in with a chuckle and gave the girl a pat on her back.

"C'mon Hina it was a perfectly normal question from your side."

He bent his head so that he could glance at her pretty face under her bangs, a toothy grin on his tanned face as his eyes twinkled.

"Besides, you're my girlfriend now. You're 'entitled' to such stuff ya know! Hehe!"

Grinning back at him and turning a bit red at his mention of her being his 'girlfriend', Hinata, without realizing what she was doing, leaped at him full force with a laugh and caused the both of them to fall back onto his bed…

… with her 'on top of' him and mere centimeters away from his surprised lips.

* * *

><p><strong>WARNING: And now it begins. So minors… STAY AWAY! This is an extremely graphic and intense (if not overtly sexual) lemon sequence.<strong>

"H-Hinata…"

"Kiba-kun… I…"

He didn't wait for a second longer and lunged for her plump, red lips without waiting for an invitation in the matter, groaning in contentment at the sensual contact. _Damn Kiba, **control** yourself you horndog! Don't scare her already…_

His careful thoughts were to no avail... his partner responding almost immediately with an enthralling gasp of her own; small hands wrapped around his shoulders.

"H-Hinata…" he whispered against her lips, rolling over until his beloved was comfortably lying underneath him... her eyes closed as she bravely moved her lips in proper rhythm with his.

Their ravaging of each others lips continued on for some extremely heated minutes before Kiba finally relented and released his blushing heiress with a gasp of air, having not been able to breath (like her) during the entirety of the lip lock.

"Wow, you were amazing Hina…" he smiled down at her coloured face.

"A-Ano… um..."

Looking away from the man, her face a tinge of red, Hinata smiled shyly as she raised one hand to her lips, still in disbelief that it was the **third** kiss that they had shared in the last half an hour.

_This feels so right… I… want more._

Her decision made, the woman met her smiling lovers gaze once more... finding him stroking her left cheek with the back of his hand.

Reaching for her neck slowly with his famished lips and freezing mere centimeters from the 'temptingly' milky flesh, Kiba breathed in deeply at his angel's scent, the latter playing the role of an aphrodisiac for his defenseless nose right then.

_Kami… her arousal is just driving me wild…_ "You smell so good right now Hinata-hime…"

"..."

Blushing at the compliment, due to how erotically it had been dictated, the female smiled and ran her hands through her partner's brown locks, silently encouraging him to continue without any more hesitation.

Smirking and wasting no further time, the Inuzuka placed his lips on the scrumptious skin of his beloved and savoured her cry of excitement... knowing that what he was doing was a completely foreign yet enjoyable experience for her untouched body.

_Better step on it a bit… else she'll never be able to adjust to her new feelings quickly enough._

He sucked on the nape of her neck as she tightened her hold upon his scalp; voice moaning out his name as she begged for the former to not stop... "Kiba-kun… m-more! Don't stop... a-aah!"

Honestly speaking, Hinata was, herself, completely surprised at the 'sounds' that were being emitted out of her throat... her embarrassment at the demands that were spewed out towards the dog-nin (in her state of lust) being the prime examples.

_I… I can't help it. It feels so…_

"Aaahn!"

Not the type of man to **ever** disappoint his bedmate, Kiba deepened his oral ministrations on the girl below him and earned further moans from her reddened lips.

"Mmm…!" The sound of satisfaction came out from his mouth as he feasted upon Hinata's collarbone with the pace of a snail, torturing her with his lack of speed.

"How does it feel Hina, hm?"

Knowing that the man was teasing her about her reactions, the kunoichi pushed herself off the bed (and more into his heaving frame) as he nipped on a particularly sensitive spot on her jaw line in his carnal approach.

"H-How do you (Aah!) think it f-feels Kiba-kun?"

Grinning as he pulled back from his meal, the brunette found a corresponding, although flustered, smile upon his love's sweaty face as well.

* * *

><p>Running a tentative finger down the side of her forehead and stopping it at her neck with another deep kiss following soon after, Kiba whispered, "It's time to remove our 'inhibitions' Hinata…"<p>

Not missing the look of shyness that appeared within her orbs, he began nuzzling her left cheek with an understanding smile on his lips... "… you ready?"

Definitely not, by this point, against removing any and all obstacles, which still stood between the both of them, Hinata nodded quietly and sat up.

Kiba smiled and backed off by a small distance to tear off his own shirt and pants, leaving only his silk boxers upon his sweaty, muscular form…

... as the poor female once more hesitated to copy his hasty act, trying to not stare outright at his glistening pectorals and bulging biceps.

_Kiba-kun's so… big,_ she thought in wonderment, noticing how his ripped abdominals 'stood out' against his taut skin with each labored breath that escaped him.

Smiling in understanding, Kiba came to kneel in front of his innocent maiden and, running a hand slowly through her long, dark locks, said, "It's alright. Here, I'll help you out of it okay?"

Letting him guide her reluctant hands into unzipping her bulky jacket, _(Sigh) It was getting so very hot in that…_ Hinata then sat there in only her fishnet top… with her large and ample bosom in full view of her man.

"..."

Refraining himself from staring outright at the Hyuuga females full and perky breasts that were 'right there' in front of his vision, the dog-nin grasped the sides of her top and gently helped her out of it.

"You don't know... how beautiful you really are Hina…"

His deep and husky voice making her self-conscious once again, the heiresss raised her arms to cover her bra-clad mammaries with a face redder than the ripest tomato. _O-Oh... he can see them._

_Whoa, I really didn't know that she liked wearing **lace** of all things._

Kiba's sharp eyes then noticed the two small 'protrusions' that were pushing themselves rebelliously against the thin material of said bra... a sure sign of just how aroused his girlfriend actually was at that moment.

_Man, just looking at her makes me hard! Phew… _He shook his head briefly, getting back to the task at hand.

"Hey, it's alright Hon... relax. There's no reason to hide away your beauty all the time okay…" the male reassured the still reluctant woman in front of him, trying to be as gentle with the latter as humanely possible... his silent kisses upon her left cheek making her smile back in response.

Encouraged by his words, Hinata slowly began to remove her arms from her semi-exposed chest, sighing submittedly as Kiba gently went to unclasp her brassiere from its buckle at her back.

_Hehe, she's so cute when she's embarrassed._

"Don't worry, we'll go slow okay?"

Kissing his unguarded right cheek, much to his surprise, she whispered out with a smile, "Hai, I trust you Kiba-kun."

He... could only smile back at her then. _I'm one lucky S.O.B. I really am... _"Thanks Hina."

The jounin bumped her head softly with his as he 'finally' managed to undo the annoying buckle of the piece of innerwear... proceeding to gently remove the thing from his beloved's flawless white skin.

"I'll be sure to not disappoint ya with my performance later on, Hehe!"

Giggling at his cheeky sense of humour, Hinata blushed and looked away as his hungry eyes feasted upon her naked flesh. _K-Kiba-kun is… staring at m-my…_

She did not know just **how** she had kept herself from fainting in mortification by that point. Surprisingly enough, it was the 'way' in which her companion had said his next words that prevented her from going through with the former.

"They're... so perfect Hinata..."

Knowing all too well that the image of Hinata's fully exposed and **magnificent** breasts was something which he would have engraved within his memory for the rest of his life, Kiba subconsciously licked his lower lip as his brown orbs scanned each and every inch of the mind-numbing sight in front of him.

_How?_ he inwardly mused.

_How in the **hell** did she get away with keeping these babies hidden from the world?_

The bemused man nevertheless smiled at the erect pink buds that 'more-than-managed' to stand out in the midst of her smooth, milky skin... enticing him to give them a closer look and if possible…

... a whole **lot** more.

* * *

><p>Letting out a small cry of surprise as the Inuzuka suddenly grasped her firm globes within his large hands, thankfully gently; considering him being quite 'turned on' himself, and massaged them slowly in semi-circles... Hinata moaned out her fluctuating emotions in response to his actions.<p>

_Mnn! I'm f-feeling so warm all of a sudden... _"Aaahn…! N-No Kiba-kun please… it f-feels weird."

He paid absolutely no heed to her pleas and continued to knead them like a baker would his dough, leaning forward to capture one rosy bud in his hot, thirsty mouth as the poor female squirmed in uncontrollable pleasure at his actions.

"O-Oh! Yes…" _I n-need more…_

"Aaah, Kiba-kun mnn…!"

Her melodious voice was like sheer music to his ears as he suckled on her left nipple with a groan escaping his throat; tongue flicking it over and over again inside of his slick mouth, lips tugging on it gently all the while...

... like an infant, thirsty for it's mother's milk.

"Mmm… Hina…" _I can suck on these things all night long. Wow…!_

As he felt his boxers tighten almost painfully as a result of his ministrations upon his Hinata's delicious breasts, he unattached his mouth to kiss any and every section of her left teat that he could reach in his lustful approach.

"A-Aaahn! N-Not so hard Kiba-kun…!" she whimpered out as he nipped at her throbbing bud once more for good measure, bending his head in order to push his mouth more comfortably against her mound.

Her cry of desperation making him ease his animalistic attack on her flesh, Kiba apologized with a peck on his woman's cheek and, moving to his left, began to garner his affections onto her other breast... a loud whimper escaping her as she dug her fingers into his skull with an iron grip...

... moan upon moan escaping her agape mouth as she panted heavily; close to bursting under the sexual stimulation.

"Oh y-yes… more AAH!" _So good... suck harder Kiba-kun!_

Tugging gently on the now reddened bud with his closed lips, Kiba gave it one final lick using the roughness of his tongue (making Hinata shiver with a small whine) before pulling back slightly to view his handiwork… staring shamelessly at the glistening beads of sweat that had accumulated on her glorious mounds as he did so.

_Grrr, I just want her so bad right now!_

Sucking in a calming breath, he controlled the fiery desires within his raging heart... knowing full well that all of what he was doing, having known about a woman's 'sensitive' spots and erogenous zones through his sisters various medical books, was new and completely unfamiliar to the gasping female in front of him.

_But she looks so… so damn **hot** right now,_ he reasoned with himself... in apparent vain.

Hinata, indeed, was feeling as if her entire body was ablaze and for her, merely breathing alone was turning out to be a bit of a problem at the moment as her heaving breasts steadily settled down after the 'treatment' that they had just received...

... her light pants telling the whole story of just how she had been letting the dog-nin satisfy his... 'thirst' through unbridled foreplay.

_(Pant) (Pant) That was s-so good… it felt... so amazing._

Smiling at her boyfriend through half-lidded orbs and a sweaty, flushed face, the kunoichi let him help her to lie back down onto the soft mattress... a relieved sigh escaping her lips as her back met the softness of his sheets.

"That was... so good Kiba-kun…" she whispered out towards the looming figure above her prone form, managing to smile in spite of her mild exhaustion.

Kissing her little nose with a grin, he replied, "I know, wasn't it?"

Giggling back at him, Hinata encircled her arms around his neck before her eyes widened at the sudden 'prodding' on her thigh by something that wasn't quite there before.

"W-What's that Kiba-kun?" she questioned, her curious gaze planted on a 'very visible' bulge present on her lover's black, silk boxers.

"..."

Scratching the back of his head, Kiba sheepishly offered his explanation to his love in her right ear, guessing the **exact** shade of red that her face would eventually be at the end of it.

"O-Oh. So that's what it was… I-I mean, is?"

He merely smiled at her embarrassment and kissed her deeply on her quivering lips, running his tongue all around her inner cavern whilst mutely requesting for her to comply, an inner 'desperation' for companionship emanating through his passionate kiss as their hot breaths merged together to become one.

Hesitant at first, Hinata simply followed his lead and brought her own muscular organ out to play with his warm one, moaning softly as the two objects rolled and slid over each other with slick sounds taking form...

... things only intensifying between the two of them as the seconds passed.

"Mmm… Kiba~kun…"

Releasing the woman's tasteful lips from his hold, Kiba reached below for her pants and, with due permission granted to him through her eyes, removed the last major piece of her wardrobe from her lithe and curvy frame.

_Okay, time to get her comfortable in this position._

Teasing her creamy thighs with his ghostly fingers, which he enticingly ran upwards along the smooth limb, the Inuzuka watched in fascination… at the emotions of 'arousal' and raw passion that played out over her slightly scrunched up face.

"Mnn..."

_Man, she's really into this huh?_

Observing how her hands rubbed his forearms in slow and tense motions, Kiba smiled at his progress with his beautiful lover._ I'll make **sure** that tonight… is the best night of her life._

* * *

><p><strong>A few short minutes later, as Kiba managed to 'convince' the shy Hyuuga of his intentions with her...<strong>

"N-NANI?!" a 20-year old kunoichi yelped out in shock and surprise.

"Oh don't worry Hina. It'll be really good... I promise!"

"B-But… that's so…" she protested, pulling her strong legs upto her chest, subsequently leaving no space in between them for him to glance at. _H-He can't be... serious._

"..."

Deciding to make her feel aware of just 'how much' she was turned on by that point, Kiba placed his hand dangerously close to her forbidden innocence; a squeak escaping her due to the abrupt contact of his fingers pads with her cool inner thigh.

"Look at just how wet you are down here Hon…"

Blushing, and then gasping loudly as his fingers made contact with her covered nether regions, Hinata whimpered out, "B-But Kiba-kun…" _I-I.._.

Frowning slightly and then sighing at her reluctance, he simply said, "I'm doing this only for you Hinata. You deserve to feel the dizzying heights of pleasure tonight… especially since it's the both of us who are with each other, in **my** bed."

Gently rubbing the pads of his two fingers around the center of her purple panties, which hid his prime goal, Kiba stared into her scared eyes with a look that spoke 'volumes' about how he felt about her.

"Hinata… if you trust me… then let me pleasure you. Let me make you feel good, good and alive. Please..."

"..."

Knowing that he would keep his word and would **never** hurt her in any way, the heiress hung her head low; cheeks burning in shame at exposing the last shred of her modesty, and relinquished the last part of her resistance against her lover's advances.

"O-Okay Kiba-kun… but..."

Her hands sought his as he complied by holding the both of them in his, tenderly.

"... p-please be gentle."

Pecking her lips and maintaining the contact until she sighed back in slight relief, the man smiled back at her pink face and replied, "I promise you Hina… ready?"

Nodding and reaching down to grab hold of the sides of her lingerie, Hinata pulled the small piece of clothing off of her hips and dropped it off the side of the bed, keeping her eyes shut the entire time; face emblazoned. _O-Oh I hope it doesn't hurt…_

"There, n-now what Kiba-kun?"

Cupping her cheek with a small smile, he replied warmly, "Nothing, you just lie back down and relax while I take care of you, hmm?"

She nodded slowly, lying back down before sighed softly, "H-Hai."

Rubbing the insides of her thighs, in an effort to make her tense muscles calm down and relax a bit, Kiba kissed the underside of her knee affectionately… leaving a 'squelching' sound in his wake.

"Aaah... Kiba-kun…"

Hinata moaned and writhed at the touch of his fiery lips along her thigh, with the odd nip being provided by them every few seconds... the trail of kisses that he planted upon her soft skin being akin to oral worship.

_Mmm, all of this feels so... good. Yes... more Kiba-kun… m-more…_

Gasping as his hot breath suddenly fell onto her chastity, Hinata dug her fingers in his hair once again, pleading for him to not go any further... "N-No! Not that Kiba-kun. It's too… too dirty please!"

He wasn't even listening to her, already lost in the deepest and most lustful emotions hidden within his heart as the smell of his mates 'intense' arousal bombarded his olfactory senses, making his erection really hard to deal with right then…

... as it lied within his boxers still, unsated and desperate to be **freed** from its unfair imprisonment.

"Wow Hinata…" The shaven innocence of his angel made him far harder than he had been some seconds ago.

Bright pink nether lips, that were closed together 'temptingly' like the petals of a shy flower, nearly succeeding in making his mouth water.

"..."

Her orbs looked towards the head situated in between her thighs with slight fear shining through them.

"You smell…" He sniffed in her heady arousal deeply and sighed, making her shiver at the sensation caused by his expended breath upon her forbidden place.

"… so delicious right now Hinata."

_I could just eat you up!_ he grinned inwardly, licking his lips in barely contained anticipation and giving her untouched sex a tentative lick…

... a strong and deep lick with his rough tongue.

* * *

><p>"Aaah! Kiba-kun!"<p>

Her voice came out of her throat louder than it ever had before in her life, unable to find any other way to express the **amazing** pleasure that had just attacked her lower regions.

"P-Please no…. stop!"

He remained unmoved by her pathetic cries of confusion… confusion at whether she should let him continue and 'enjoy' the treatment that he dished out to her or put a stop to his overtly sexual motions upon her vulnerable body right there and then.

"Relax hime… you'll be wanting more and more soon."

His composed tone told her that there was 'no room' for argument as he licked her again and again, each time trying to gently pry apart her untouched pink petals from each other as his tongue seeked her inner, dripping walls...

... pushing through ever so slowly past her moist outer lips.

"Mnn!" The pale-eyed female bit down on her lip but found it of no use in her current position as she lay at her boyfriend's mercy... "K-Kiba-kun…!"

Eyes snapping open as she felt his eager fingers scissor apart her drenched lips, Hinata genuinely felt completely exposed and was left panting for air as a significant amount of her pheromones 'escaped' into the open.

"A-AAAHN!"

As more of her feminine arousal escaped her body due to his actions, Kiba fingered Hinata's lips with a steady rhythm, also aware of the 'shy' hidden bud that awaited his attentions within as his hand slowly moved 'back and forth' across her womanhood. _I'm comin' for you too… Hehe…_

As Hinata writhed in 'euphoric agony' under his control, grabbing the sheets on either side of her hips and involuntarily bucking into his fingers by the passing second, the male reached down once more and…

… without **any** form of warning, sucked on her sensitive bundle of nerves in full gusto... a groan escaping his lips as his tongue rolled all over the highly erogenous spot of his ladylove.

"O-OH! Aaahn! Kiba-kun n-no please, AAAAH!"

Thrusting her hips out towards his mouth with ever increasing passion and lust flowing through her system, her mind a complete mess as compared to what it once was...

... Hinata moaned louder and louder with each new lick and suckle on her rapidly reddening bud.

_This is s-so wrong… he's licking me d-down there- Oh Kami!_

The rapid and 'increasingly faster' thrusts from her pelvis proved to only encourage the dog-nin to lick the kunoichi's womanhood with deeper and more forceful penetrations of his muscular organ... her flowing juices and their smothering wetness being too good for him...

... as he eventually used his greedy hands to squeeze her 'well-endowed' butt cheeks in his haze.

_Damn, she tastes so good! Oh man, I gotta get inside of her soon before I burst…!_

_W-Why am I feeling so... warm all of a sudden?_ the woman managed to wonder in the haze of her pleasurable paradise, her continuous 'writhing' due to Kiba's constant lapping of her juices proving to be too much for her to take.

_I-I feel like… oh…! Kami, I'm going to…!_

The coil in her lower abdomen tightening until too twisted to hold onto, Hinata pushed her head back into the pillow and, shutting her eyes from it all, arched her back into the air with a shrill **scream** of ecstasy ripping itself out of her throat… as if her very soul was being pulled out of her quaking body.

**That** feeling was intensified tenfold when, Kiba decided right then to make his girlfriend really 'feel it' within her melting vaginal canal.

He did so, by humming softly while his sloppy wet tongue was all the way inside of her rosy lips, making her entire form shiver and tremble uncontrollably... and in the process making his boxers strain further outwards at the mewling sounds that were finding their way out of her gaping (and panting) mouth.

"AAAAH! KIBA-KUUUUN!"

Her ear piercing scream of 'suddenly freed' lust and innermost carnal desires, made Kiba suckle on her bud harder in that one moment before his face was 'completely drenched' in her slick, orgasmic juices…

... which were being sprayed out at an unbelievable speed out of her trembling lips while her passage 'tightened in on' his eager tongue with full force.

_Aah… now that's what I'm talking about Hina! WOOO!_

It was like a gushing torrent...

... like a dam finally breaking down and letting its contents **crash** right through it in their liquid form.

Letting all of her pent up sexual frustration out of that one throbbing section of her lower body made Hinata experience constant spasms and feel as if she had fallen victim to a severe seizure... her grip on Kiba's hair growing even more intense as her liquids continuously squirted themselves out of her burning cavern and into his 'all-too-welcoming' mouth.

Her very first orgasm striking her at full blast had also made her tighten her thighs hold on her lover in a crushing manner... and buck her hips completely in his face due to her state of temporary 'nirvana'.

"O-Ohhh…! Haa… haa… aahhh…"

_..._

Panting heavily and trying in vain to regain her expended breath as she came down from the heights of the pleasure that she had just been gifted with, the kunoichi gasped softly and laid her head back onto the pillow... her legs falling on either side of the dog-nins body, almost 'lifeless' and simply unable to find enough strength within them to cover their owners privates any longer.

_K-Kami… I thought that I w-was going to die…_

Having lapped as well as drank up all of the squirted nectar of his beloved Hinata, the Inuzuka male sighed in contentment and cleaned her 'big mess' off properly with his tongue, whilst ignoring the sticky pool in the spot below her chubby rump... before moving towards her half-dead frame to lie himself down beside her soon after.

"..."

Smirking at his achievement and the lingering 'sweet' taste of her juices upon his lips, Kiba pulled her body flush against his own perspiring frame.

**OKAY, Lemon's over (until the next chapter that is!) so kindly read on till the end of this chapter folks!**

* * *

><p>Watching her quietly, he smiled at the steady rise and fall of her 'once' heaving breasts in wonder and also noticed how strands of her hair partially matted her beautiful, gleaming face.<p>

The strong smell of sweat and her orgasmic nectar still 'permeating' in the air, the male reached his left hand out to remove the sticky strands away from the former's face, catching on to her sigh of satisfaction with a grin on his own face.

_Whoa, she looks sooo beautiful right now… like she's at complete 'peace' with herself._

"..."

Turning towards him with her eyes half-lidded and glazed over with desire, Hinata smiled weakly and then, surprisingly enough, grinned outright at his loving gaze.

"That was… amazing Kiba-kun… haa… haa…"

"I know hime, I know… but it'll get even better once you regain your stamina, Hehe!"

_Whew... who knew that my little hime-chan would get so damn 'frisky' all of a sudden!_ Kiba inwardly chuckled, at awe at his beautiful woman... as the deep valley of her bountiful breasts succeeded in 'distracting' him.

Suddenly remembering the 'bulge' which she had discovered before Kiba had 'ate her out' as he put it, Hinata turned her body completely towards the dog-nin, still feeling all gooey around her lower regions (and her legs in particular).

Her lover easily noticed her question floating within her ivory eyes... waaay before she had even worded it... _Hm?_

"K-Kiba-kun what about your-?"

Placing a patient finger on her lips before replacing it with his own, Kiba smiled as they touched noses, her blushing shyly at the contact and him smiling back kindly.

"It's okay Hina… take it easy. You know that I never leave a job unfinished ne?"

Giggling at his bold statement, as well as its hidden meaning, the female kissed him back and buried her nose in the nape of his neck, with him wrapping his powerful arms around her back as she smiled wide, "Hmm… hmm! Do I ever!"

Chuckling along with her, the man stroked her silky smooth hair with his fingers as she remained spooned together with him... waiting with bated breath for the time when they would continue their 'activities' once more.

"I love you so much Hinata…" he whispered in her hair, his tone easily giving away his seriousness.

"Hmm… I love you too Kiba-kun…" the woman replied back without hesitance, sighing as he held her tenderly.

His lips suddenly devoured hers with raw, fierce passion... their slick tongues battling for dominance as he rolled her slowly under his larger frame once again, his left hand moving southwards to rid his body completely of the one obstruction that prevented him from 'becoming one' with his mate...

... and the love of his life.

"Let's make some love Hon…" he whispered against her tender lips, his primal need undisguised from her ears as she felt an intense heat build up in her lower abdomen at his sensual words... soft pants escaping her mouth the entire while.

"H-Hai… I'm... ready Kiba-kun," she gasped into his mouth as he shoved his tongue back into hers; heart beating harder against her ribcage at the thought of performing such an intimate and sexual act with the one man she truly loved.

* * *

><p>"I'll be gentle hime..." Kiba spoke against the shell of Hinata's left ear as her hands found their way from his neck to his broad back.<p>

"I promise…"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: WOW! Is it 'hot' in here or what?<br>**

**So... you guys know the drill, kindly READ & REVIEW this chappie and stay patient for the remainder of this beautiful (at least I think so LOL!) scene in the next one.**

**Love you all and hope to upload it real soon, this is your fanfic author signing off…**

**Sayonara!**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter XIV: At last… the lovers inevitable union

(Part 2)

**Disclaimer: No comments… XP**

**AN: A big thanks to 'LiirKo' for giving my last chapter such an awesome review!  
><strong>

**So then, as a side note, this is the second and LAST part of this lengthy lemon of mine so minors… STAY AWAY as usual.**

**Enjoy and kindly provide some feedback on this if you can dear peeps!**

* * *

><p><em>S-Sugoi… that was... amazing.<em>

The incessant buzz in her brain finally settled down after her inner admittance to the... 'experience' that her boyfriend had just gifted her with.

Cracking her eyes open after her experience with the intense and skyrocketing first orgasm, the dark bluenette felt liquid warmth seep from within her and leak onto the soft sheets beneath her backside, making her direct her attention towards it with a worried look upon her face.

_O-Oh dear… did I make **that** much of a mess?_

Noticing a familiar heat radiating from the fellow being lying next to her exhausted form, the kunoichi smiled in relief... as if she was glad that said person was with her at that moment, acting as one who would provide her with protection as well as companionship.

_I didn't know that he would… make me feel such pleasure._

Her orbs lowered towards the large hand that was gently stroking her hair away from her face, an almost relaxed mood surrounding its handsome owner. _Kiba-kun…_

Her virgin body had certainly never been stimulated (or aroused) in such an enticing manner **ever** before in her entire existence as a woman…

… and she innately hoped it wouldn't be the last time.

It was quite shocking, at least to her, that she had been able to respond to the brunettes' sensual and patient ministrations upon her nubile body in such a... 'voluntary' manner. Almost as if her heart and soul had been chained within her introverted shell… akin to caged birds…

... and were desperate for an 'outlet' through which they could be able to escape and take flight; the love on offer from the Inuzuka male being said outlet.

_Even though I had never even known about… such desires before he…_

His fingers ran tenderly across her stomach and navel in lazy circles, making a soft giggle escape her lips before she could finish her inner thoughts.

_… before he unleashed them within me, I…_

Kiba suddenly claimed her lips once more, just like he had already done countless times already during that night, as she sighed happily into the lip lock with a growing need taking birth within her heart and 'presently' burning core.

_I don't want to ignore it anymore. I just **can't**…_

The man cupped her cheek and deepened the kiss, suckling her mouth as a small groan found it's way out of him.

_... and I know that he won't let me either! Hmm… hmm!_

Hinata could not place the cause of her abrupt change in personality in that one moment and yet, she had no complaints whatsoever... almost relishing the opportunity to be able to express herself, albeit 'physically', to her love.

"Kiba-kun…"

"..."

His dark eyes met her pale ones as he released her lips reluctantly and gave her a broad grin, making her blush at the effortless charm that he could produce, at least in her eyes.

_How can he make me feel… so warm inside just with that goofy grin of his?_ Hinata mused to herself, genuinely curious as to why her body reacted in such an 'interested' manner to the Inuzuka's advances and touches... or rather had been ever since they had first gotten intimate with each other at their 'special spot' not too long ago.

Ignoring the fleeting thought for the moment, the female decided to let herself go with whatever flow the jounin above her had planned in advance for the both of them...

... believing in his honest feelings towards her completely 'just like' how a young child would have an insurmountable amount of trust in it's loving parent.

"Hm? What is it Hinata?"

* * *

><p>"..."<p>

His voice reached her ears like the call of a prayer... **divine** in the way that he stated out his query…

... making her name sound like the most holy word in his vocabulary; his tone 'caressing' it with unsinkable love and affection.

Kiba tilted his head to one side, eyes half-lidded and his smug grin still on his face... although it had lessened into a warm smile by then... I_ wonder what she keeps on thinking about the entire time? Heh, maybe she's nervous about this…_

He gently touched her cheek with a glint in his brown eye… _but… so am I, Hehe!_

Raising her right hand towards her mouth whilst glancing away from the man's smoldering gaze, that rested solely upon her astoundingly nude form, Hinata muttered out her deepest doubts about their upcoming act… one that would forever bind them in that unbreakable seal of trust and love after its completion... to him.

_We're... Kiba-kun a-and I are about to..._

"Um… I-I have never done this before Kiba-kun…"

His cheek against hers made her gasp as her hands, on their own accord, placed themselves on his ripped back with slight hesitation; him whispering words of comfort into her right ear.

"Hey… it's okay hime."

Pulling himself back, Kiba smiled and ran his first two fingers across her bangs... making her smile and look away with cheeks darker than the 'ripest' cherry. "I know."

Her lips let out a gasp of pleasure as his mouth connected again with the **very** visible marks on her neck and collarbone.

"I also know that your perfect and flawless body…"

All he did in response was smirk in understanding against her pale skin, giving her flesh another lick with the rough tip of his tongue... an 'ever-increasing' fervor present in his sensual actions.

"… has **never** been touched by another man and…" He let out an uncharacteristic, almost shuddering sigh of indecisiveness as he continued on, "… that's why…"

He laid light butterfly kisses all around her flushed cheeks, her form whimpering underneath his body's unbearable heat, as if he was her personal heater gone 'haywire'.

"… I want to know. No, I **need** to know…"

The blushing maiden met his concerned eyes and nearly felt her heart break at the genuine care and near-bottomless pools of understanding that she found there... _Kiba-kun… my Kiba-kun._

"Do you really want this... now? At such an early phase of our... relationship?"

Kiba's voice gathered a sad undertone to it each time he said it to her, knowing that this topic would come up eventually 'regardless' of what had happened in between them thus far.

"Are you **really** ready to take such a bold step with me Hina-hime? Please tell me. I… I don't want to push you into anything, which you don't wanna be a part of… because you don't deserve that."

Her expression of mild confusion made him peck her right cheek one last time as his heart started beating faster with each bated breath that came through his lips.

"You definitely don't," he finished.

"I... don't want to force this onto you in anyway Hinata." He felt her heart beating against his as he continued, "In the end... all that matters is how you feel about this... about... us."

"..."

Tears forming in her lilac orbs at his words, Hinata raised a finger to wipe the one that had managed to get away from under her right eye and, smiling up at the man who she now both loved **and** respected, spoke in a soft and confident tone, "I know that I want this Kiba-kun… and…"

Her arms climbed up along his back in a ghostly manner and came to rest against his neck, partly covered by his messy brown locks as she finally 'pressed' her point home for her lover to understand her decision clearly; his eyes closing with a shuddering frown, their owner gasping at the touch.

_Hina..._

"… I also k-know that I would not…"

She paused as an... 'unreadable' emotion of surprise passed through Kiba's unfocused eyes as he listened to her every word, "… never want to be with anyone else like I am right now... with you." _I love you that much you big silly…_

The young woman inwardly sighed in contentment, feeling a great burden lift itself off of her chest at the declaration, feeling sure that she had made the 'first correct decision' of her short life… and one related to her love-life at that!

_I guess he made me change a little... during only such a short period of time._

* * *

><p>As he processed her words within his befuddled mind… <em>Whoa! She gave one hell of a quick answer!<em> the dog-nin nearly gaped at her uncharacteristically 'decisive' declaration, his mind impressed and his heart almost about to leap for joy.

Shaking his head free of the internal debate, the Inuzuka grinned back and pecked her once again upon her cute little nose, making her laugh out loud in embarrassment at the gesture.

"Hehe, do you always laugh this loud when you're nervous?" _Kami I just love this woman…_

Slowly regaining her self control, Hinata closed her eyes and turned her head to her side, unintentionally giving the famished dog-nin a tempting view of her smooth neck and steadily beating pulse as she mumbled out her reply to his query.

"U-Um I just... got tickled when you did that so-"

His hot lips on the nape of her neck made her gasp in pleasure and open her eyelids in surprise as he made contact with the former, her cheeks flushed with desire.

"Ya know…" Kiba smirked against the white, creamy flesh, "… you're really cute and adorable when you want to be Hina."

Thinking back on it he added with a naughty grin growing on his face, "Heck, you don't even have to try sometimes to make me all bothered, Hehe!" _And that's a fact!_

His honest words made her heart pound itself faster against her ribcage as she smiled up at him, her cheeks a bright pink colour of appreciation.

"A-Arigato Kiba-kun… that was so…"

Raising his head above her face so that they were almost able to read each others eyes thoroughly, apart from being able to see their own delighted features in them, he spoke with a husky tone added to his already deep voice, "So invigorating that it made me feel like the most 'blessed girl' in the whole wide world?"

A giggle and a nod gave her compliance away to his amused gaze as he resisted pinching her glowing cheeks.

"I thought so. Now then…" _Alright, time to get this on course… I'd better ask her once more just in case._

Brushing his hand across her smooth left cheek and placing a loving kiss on it, as if it was going to be his last upon her ravishing body, Kiba sighed briefly before stating his lingering doubt to her, "Hinata…"

She could feel the seriousness in his tone and kept her gaze fixated on his as he ploughed on.

"… I want to make sure that you have no... 'regrets' while doing something like this… because I know that I certainly wouldn't be against sharing such a time with you over and over again if I was given the choice."

"..."

The kunoichi felt fresh tears form in her pale eyes... as his sincere words and unending concern for her choices and wants made her orbs moisten, as if destined to.

"Kiba-kun… I…"

He was listening to her at that time with both his ears and heart as she gathered enough courage to voice out her thoughts on the matter.

Touching the maroon tattoo present on his left cheek with a small smile, Hinata gave him her answer, unafraid of the materialistic world and its warped 'ideologies' that existed around them at that moment.

"… I w-wouldn't want to commit myself to **anyone** else but you."

She saw his gaze waver for a second towards her trembling lips and then immediately climb back up to her eyes as she continued, "I know that I'll h-have no regrets doing this sacred act with you tonight Kiba-kun… please... believe me…"

"..."

The pleading call present in her voice snatched away whatever 'restraint' the emotionally tested man had been practicing up until that point, _She just doesn't realize how much she means to me…_ as he launched himself upon the female below him, showering her face and neck with kisses laden with his silent gratitude towards her love for him.

As he smothered her neck and collarbone with kisses and suckles of near desperation, Hinata could have sworn that she heard him make a hushed declaration to her in his haze.

"I… I love you so much Hinata-hime. Mmm…"

That was all he managed to get across to her before being lost within her aroused scent, almost trying to 'live off' of it by then.

* * *

><p>Warmth growing with ever-increasing force within the confines of her nether regions at the lust-driven truth present in his words, the heiress ran her nails slowly across his back, gasping as he nipped at her soft flesh once more, "Aaahn! Oh p-please Kiba-kun more…"<p>

His corresponding groans of pleasure at her touch made her actions grow bolder as she gave him a small nip of her own upon his sweaty neck.

"Mmm… rrowr!" Kiba growled at the exciting feel of her lips on his skin, feeling his manhood just about ready to start dripping from its tip at her ministrations on his 'oh-so-responsive' body at that point.

_Ugh! I c-can't take it anymore. Gotta get... inside of her soon or I'll explode!_

Not needing to guide his erect manhood towards her drenched lips due to it being harder than the 'finest diamond' **(AN: ROFL!)**, the Inuzuka male gave his beloved a gentle kiss on her soft lips as she moaned inside of his panting mouth... being the first one this time around to wrap her tongue around his, her body arching beautifully against his own...

... large breasts squishing their 'supple' softness against his chiseled chest as she did so.

"Mnn…! Kiba-kun m-make this ache inside me go away… please…!"

_Fuck it! I need her right now dammit,_ Kiba felt his last nerve nearly 'snap' at her irresistible words.

Stroking her cheek, he responded in a forced tone, obviously 'struggling' with his self-control by that point but not trying to disguise his care for her physical comfort from his shaky voice.

"I-I'm going in hime… this will hurt a little at first. You ready?"

Suddenly curious as to how he possibly knew so much about the female body and its most private structures, in spite of this being his very first time… like her, Hinata couldn't help but ask him, "H-How do you know so much about what to do Kiba-kun?"

"..." _Eh?_

Obviously not expecting such a question from her, especially considering the unbearable breaking point that they both were now about to reach, the dog-nin scratched his cheek and replied, "Uh well… I… read."

Beginning to crumble under her confused look, he sighed and decided to clarify himself. _Darn, I knew I shouldn't have snooped around so much with Hana's books!_

...

"..."

Once he had finished explaining, the kunoichi below turned crimson and slapped his chest whilst giggling like a little child the entire time, "EW! Kiba-kun! Too much information!"

Grinning at her reaction with relief wafting across his system, the male resumed his work on her body. _Whoa, I was expecting her to literally 'freak out' for a second there, Hehe!_

Glancing at the large **and** long object present in between both of her trembling legs, Hinata's eyes widened in shock.

_W-Will that… thing actually fit inside of me?_

But just that one look at her partner's well-endowed manhood had her panting lower lips throbbing with dire need for it...

... as their owner observed the large and thick piece of muscle head towards her chaste innocence, carrying within its sheer **girth** an aura of ensuring immeasurable pleasure for any woman lucky enough to get to 'rendezvous' with it.

Gripping his sturdy shoulders in impending fear of being penetrated by him, the kunoichi felt his light kisses land upon her cheek and jaw line as he tried his best to contain his anticipation within himself.

_Grrr… gotta go real slow at first… just gotta._

"H-Here goes Hinata… I'll be gentle for our first time, I promise," Kiba assured her one final time, pecking her lips tenderly, as he felt her respond positively to his move with a nod and small smile.

Gasping out, 'much louder' than before as his virile erection kissed her petals and rubbed itself gently across them; first up and then down with torturous motions, Hinata felt herself become completely possessed with her innate arousal for her lovers touch, "K-Kiba-kun… please! Don't tease me anymore… h-hurry and put it... in…"

_I… need him so much. Oh it nearly hurts j-just to think about it._

Grunting in obvious pain at having to 'refrain' his body from simply ramming his member all the way inside of his beloved's virginal cove, upto its hilt, and pound her brains out like an animal in heat, Kiba felt the droplets of his perspiration drip onto her beautiful breasts as he whispered out with a soft pant...

... desperate thoughts of just letting his care and concerns down and 'shoving' the thing inside of his angel's scrumptious body crossing his mind persistently.

"Haa… haa...! Okay Hina. H-Here I go…"

"P-Please… Kiba..." she begged, feeling her ache for the gorgeous man above her grow by the second… all other concerns related to shyness and prudence long forgotten in her mind.

"Forgive me... for this pain hime."

Sucking in a deep breath of self-reassurance, the man got his act together and, placing both of his hands on either side of her head whilst grabbing fistfuls of his sheets... lifted his hips by a short way and pushed his endowment into his love's unclaimed flower.

* * *

><p>Both, Kiba and Hinata felt her maidenhead break almost instantly as his erection tore right through it... soon becoming enveloped with her almost 'boiling' inner warmth.<p>

Eyes shut tight at the feel of her love's member entering her tight passage, the tender situation made her wince and bite her lip to contain her scream of pain at his impalement of her nether lips.

_Haa… Haa…! Damn, I should've been slower._

Kiba cursed himself for being too hasty at the last second...

... **any** cause of his precious Hinata's pain, which pointed back at him as the culprit, making him feel unanimously guilty... deep inside.

The smell of her dripping vaginal blood wafted up his nose and he nearly shed tears as he thought about how his chaste girlfriend would be feeling at that moment… after being entered by someone as 'big' as him for her very first time.

"Aaah! Kiba-kun… it… it hurts so much!" the female cried out, unable to contain the intense feeling of pain within her any longer.

Kissing away her tears and rubbing his cheek tenderly against hers as a mute form of comfort, the dog-nin whispered out with a very strained yet gentle voice, "I know it hurts Hina. I'm so sorry for being its cause but… please bear with this for just a little longer… please…" _I'm such a fucking idiot!_

Nodding weakly as more tears flowed out of her glistening orbs, Hinata felt the burning sensation dissipate from within her after a few tense minutes...

... which seemed like arduous 'hours', had passed by the both of them.

The stinging feeling, at having his huge manhood present inside of her, was soon replaced by something, which made her sigh and gasp at the same time... _I-It feels so good now. It doesn't hurt anymore…_

Her boyfriend was nearly kicking himself at having been so hurried with her, especially with it being so different for someone as pure and untouched as herself.

_Why the **hell** didn't I slow myself down a bit more?_

His self-depreciation ended instantly once he heard her ethereal voice reach his ears from below his frozen frame…

"K-Kiba-kun…"

Meeting her glazed eyes, whilst remaining perfectly still so as not to pry her inner walls further apart by his quaking member, he whimpered out, "Y-Yeah?"

Running a shaky hand through his wet locks and smiling up at his concerned gaze, Hinata whispered out, "Please... move."

His skeptical look didn't go by her unnoticed as she assured him of her almost pain free condition, "It's alright now… it d-doesn't hurt so much."

He simply sighed in relief and smiled back, "Well, that's good to hear. I'll go slow first though, okay hime?"

Bracing herself once more as he pulled his phallus out of her passage's chokehold, the Hyuuga female closed her eyes in preparation of the inevitable impact from the 'excited' organ.

"I'm ready."

Clenching his jaw as he prepared himself for another impalement of the gorgeous woman underneath him, the dog-nin thrust his hips forward as 'normally' as he could to meet her wet walls again.

_Here it goes… nice and easy Kiba… keep an eye on her face._

Watching her face scrunch up as his member penetrated her tight inner walls a second time, although this time all the way upto her cervix... making sure to stretch her 'properly' from the inside to smoothen the experience for her on the whole, Kiba panted heavily as he felt nearly all of the air disappear from his lungs.

_I-I'm inside her… I'm inside Hinata…! Oh Kami…_

Opening her orbs to look at the man who she loved, physically struggle from trying not to thrust his member too hard inside of her, Hinata smiled softly…

… before being 'bombarded' with a pleasure so intense, she failed to even form any coherent thoughts by that point as the excruciating feeling filled her core to the very brim; removing itself from her system to hit her all over again…

… this time **harder** than before.

* * *

><p>"AAAHN! O-Oh… yes! Kiba-kun… more…!"<p>

Her melodiously lusty voice driving him on as he felt his throbbing manhood almost **melt** due to the amazing warmth of her slippery walls, Kiba panted like a beast and whispered out his thoughts on the immediate matter to his emblazoned lover; eyes seeing nothing but red by then, "Ugh… H-Hinata. You're so… so tight… Aagh!"

Losing his control and hitting her at a faster rate than before was not something which he had planned beforehand...

... but after listening to her begging calls for him to increase his speed, decided to go through with it.

"Aaah… yes…! Oh more Kiba-kun… harder!"

"..."

_Hinata… you turn me into such an animal damn…_

Making his heavy thrusts faster and faster as per her request, Kiba grunted and groaned at the indescribable pleasure that his entire body was being gifted with at that point... feeling like he was trapped within its sinful embrace… yet remaining perfectly happy with where he was finding himself right then.

"H-Hinata… I love you… so much. Ugh…!" _She just feels so **amazing** right now._

Gasping and moaning at the constant 'pounding' that her lower regions where being dealt with, by her sweltering man nonetheless, Hinata arched her back more into his radiating heat and bucked her hips in rhythm with his slick thrusts against her quivering petals…

… as more and more of her juices leaked out of her on their own accord, making her repeat his name over and over again as if in a vulgar trance.

"Kiba-kun… o-oh faster… go deeper inside… AAAHN!"_ S-So good. I love it when he's inside me. Aah!_

Finding his conscious control to be 'all but gone' from his mind, the dog-nin slammed his endowment against his beloved at a rougher pace, making the loud sounds of their wet, slapping flesh echo around the four walls of the enclosed room.

Having his 'soldier' completely drenched in her sticky liquids, as well as his own, made the feel of her walls tightening around him all the more unbearable as he growled and reached below to suck on her heated neck once again…

… his sense of sanity having been lost to him long back.

"Mmm… so good. Aah… Hina…"

Digging her nails into his back and leaving visible red slashes across his taut skin, Hinata moaned and whimpered out loud as his hungry mouth ravaged her defenseless skin; his member plundering her nether regions, going in and out of her blossomed flower at an unnatural speed…

… almost succeeding in making the bed that they were currently lying on, hit its head constantly against the wall behind it.

"Kiba-kun…! A-Aaah! Yes… bite me Kiba-kun! Aahn… deeper…!"

_O-Oh Kami I don't even know what I'm saying anymore…_

Not that it really mattered...

... to the woman who had drowned herself in the deep ocean of Kiba's love and was now dousing her entire body and soul willingly using the fires of his uncontrollable passion and 'insatiable' lust for her.

* * *

><p><strong>After some extremely 'heated' minutes of intense lovemaking<strong>

"Harder… harder Kiba-kun…! Aahn!"

"Ohh… Hina. You're… so beautiful…! Ugh!"

Crashing his lower body against her curvy hips over and over again made the sweat really pour down the side of his temple, his pants growing louder in their volume... whilst his mate began to 'scream out' her demands at his face.

"Kiba-kun…! Aaah! Yes… faster! I w-want more please!"

_She's really asking for it now. D-Dammit I'm gonna fuck this woman so damn hard!_

Grabbing both of her wildly bucking hips in his desperate palms, Kiba slammed his huge penis into regions 'far deeper' than the ones even she hadn't been initially aware of…

... making the horny kunoichi dig her nails into the mattress around her head in a vice-like grip and scream out his name due to her pleasure-pain.

"KIBA-KUN! Aahn…! Oh so good!"

_K-Kuso! I've wanted this… for so long. Haa… haa…!_

Observing the multiple emotions that were playing themselves out all over his moaning and writhing mate's flushed face, Kiba shut his eyes in response once she reached out for him and dug her nails into his mildly burning back once again... making him groan and 'silence' her mewling noises with a sloppy kiss right on her agape mouth…

... the bed shaking underneath the both of them with each new thrust that he produced, each one more 'monstrous' in its magnitude than the last.

"Mmm…! Ha-ahn!" Hinata gasped into his mouth as his warm tongue tasted her moaning cavern mercilessly, trying to find an outlet… **any** outlet for his growing sexual tension; slowly but surely giving into his impending need for release.

"H-Hinata! Ugh. You feel s-so amazing right now…! Aargh…" the beastly man growled out albeit with a loving undertone lacing his 'sexually impulsed' words; the uncharacteristically noisy woman begging for him to help her find her own craved release throughout.

It was almost like the both of them could only be 'regretfully' free of the highly desirable torture with each other's assistance.

For them, there was no other alternative but to rely on the person who they were presently making love to. The one who would willingly guide them to that sanctuary… where one receives a temporary experience of heavenly pleasure in its most pure and natural form.

_She's… always been too good for someone like me,_ Kiba managed to think in the midst of the thick fog of sexual enjoyment, which he was savoring through his beloved and their current session of intercourse.

_But… (Aagh!) I n-never knew that it would turn out to be **this** damn amazing!_

While the male was momentarily lost in his own thoughts, his constant pounding of her trembling walls unceasing in its shape or repetition, the lilac-eyed woman found herself engaging in emotions and less 'noisy' feelings of her own; the wet, squelching sounds of their lower halves meeting and separating continuing on at their fiery pace.

_Haa… haa...! Aahn…! Kiba-kun, I don't think that I'll ever be able to… regret loving you. I now know that I wouldn't have g-gotten this sort of acceptance and compassion from Naruto-kun… ever._

His guttural growl of male dominance over her made her run her eyes across his sweating and pretty much 'red' face thoroughly, fascinated in sheer wonderment of how he had still been able to maintain his libido's stamina up until now; especially considering the sickeningly divine contact that their bodies were sharing at present...

... as his member was pulled out of her lips and then was launched at full speed right back into the overjoyed canal.

It was utterly sexual, **animalistic**... even downright barbaric the way he was thrusting himself into her mercilessly... with her screaming out her 'approval' and wanting him to impale her over and over again.

_I would never have w-wanted to have any regrets for being with you either. Y-You… never let me get such feelings within myself whenever you were around me. Not even once._

His thrusts increased their frequency and she felt his member hit her 'G-Spot' with all of his brutal masculine power, making her yell out in shameless ecstasy as her vaginal walls throbbed and closed in further around the thick muscular organ that was stuffed within her.

_Aahn! Haa… haa… ungh!_

Hinata also noticed, much to her cry of sinful pleasure, as to how her slippery petals were 'clinging on' to Kiba's large manhood, as if trying to pull him back in of their own accord every time he tried to 'rinse and repeat'.

_O-Oh Kami… it's so warm. Kiba-kun's going to m-make me melt from the inside! _It left her speechless yes… but apparently not without sound…

"AAAAH! Yes… YES Kiba-kun…! Ungh!"

The perspiring woman felt the coil inside of her heated core tighten, just like it had done some time back...

... but this time…

... it was far more intense and gave off a promise of being extremely mind-blowing if unleashed in a swift recoil. Of that, the hotly bothered female had no doubt whatsoever.

"F-Faster… deeper… harder!" _More... please Kiba-kun... more!_

* * *

><p>Her rapid-fire demands through those three words hit him like a chakra-enhanced kunai as he let his primal needs override his rational train of thought...<p>

... before being suddenly reminded of a certain 'factor' that he had completely overlooked during the entire course of their lovemaking.

_Oh shit! I... totally forgot about that!_

Stroking her cheek gently, silently urging for her to look at him, the jounin adopted a guilty expression when her eyes finally connected with his.

"K-Kiba-kun?"

"Hime… I'm... really sorry. I actually forgot about… one important thing."

Slowing down his hips pace, as she protested by pulling him towards her form with confusion clearly etched across her delicate features, Kiba continued, "As an Inuzuka male… I... uh…"

He sucked in another shivering breath, feeling her become subconsciously impatient with his slow approach.

"I'm... sexually very fertile so..."

He left it at that, awaiting her reaction to the piece of information that had done the job of reminding the both of them that they were 'thoughtlessly' engaging in unprotected sex.

The Inuzuka had never **once** intended for his angel to be pressurized into an unplanned pregnancy… especially right then, in spite of often dreaming of bearing children with her in the 'not-so-distant' past.

_I would never want her to be known as the mother of my bastard child. No, I'd rather **die** than let something like that happen to her!_ Kiba inwardly thought, more than ready to halt his actions if it meant that it would ruin the life of his beloved... both emotionally and socially.

_If we **were** to have any children, they would be sacred and not treated like our little 'mistake'!_

Her mind clearing slightly so that she properly understood the full meaning of his statement, Hinata felt 'touched', she really did...

... and that was the very reason that she cupped his cheek, much to the latter's shock and surprise, before planting a tender kiss upon it by lifting her face just a bit above its previous resting position on his chalk-white pillow.

_Silly Kiba-kun, hmm… hmm! That's why I love you so very much._

"Hinata?" he questioned, his heart afraid that she would hate him for not warning her sooner; mind deciding to refrain itself from indulging in any further negative thoughts and ideas as her lips parted to give him her answer...

"Give me a moment."

Raising both of the first two fingers of her right hand for him to see, the kunoichi moved them towards an area just below her navel and waited patiently for her nonverbal jutsus 'effects' to take place; eyes closed in concentration as she breathed deeply to calm her herself, as Kiba's curious gaze remained fixated onto her hand in wonderment.

_What in the world is she-?_

His query was immediately given its reply however... as the targeted area was briefly enveloped in a 'bluish-white' glow of some sort; his girlfriend letting out a small sigh of contentment at the occurrence... said display of brief luminescence disappearing as soon as it had come.

"Hinata… what did you-?"

He was cut off again... this time by her sweet, velvety voice.

"I... temporarily made myself infertile Kiba-kun."

"!"

Eyes widening to the size of dinner plates, the man nearly barked out loud in his state of shock, "You WHAT?!" _What the hell did she just say? She's talking as if someone in her family missed the days lunch!_

Blushing at his obvious concern for her well-being with a small giggle, Hinata was, unfortunately, at the receiving end of his 'vocal assault' by then.

"Is that even safe?! Who **taught** you something like this? How-?"

"Kiba-kun…"

He 'wisely' kept his mouth shut as she explained to him about the mysterious procedure, her smile unwavering, "Please calm down… Tsunade-sama taught it to me a couple of years back."

* * *

><p>Noticing how he had considerably relaxed at the simple mention of the older kunoichi's name, <em>I guess even Kiba-kun trusts the Hokage completely…<em> she continued, "A-Actually, it's something that is taught to all kunoichi's when…"

Her flushed face turned 'dangerously red' as she swallowed a lump in her throat... a loving stroke upon her cheek by the brunette's hand making her smile as she pushed on with her explanation.

"… when we come of age. It m-makes us infertile for the brief time when we would, d-during intercourse, come into contact with the sperm cells of our partner."

Kiba couldn't help but smile softly at the look that she shyly sent his way at that.

"E-Even though fertilization normally does go on for about 30 minutes afterwards in the normal case, this jutsu ensures that we w-would not get… pregnant in any case."

"..."

Understanding her explanation by then, the dog-nin raised both of his eyebrows in sheer wonderment... due to being impressed with the technique in question... _Phew! That's some wicked jutsu right there. No wonder kunoichi's are so... 'casual' about things like dating and sex all the time._

An image of his former sensei and her late lover suddenly flashed across his mind as he **finally** discovered the answer to the question that had constantly plagued him for the last 4 years of his life.

_**That's** why sensei wasn't married when she got pregnant. She most likely forgot to use that jutsu during that 'one time'... when she and Asuma were still dating._

The dark-haired male was, by then, **certain** that his deduction was accurate as the pieces started to connect within his mental observatory.

"S-So…"

His mind snapped back to attention as Hinata proceeded to finish her little 'class'.

"… this is a type of protection for us kunoichi's a-against unplanned pregnancies Kiba-kun."

He merely nodded before grinning at the nervous look on her face. "Well well, that's **some** info you gave me right there Hina." _Man, its like both of us have got our own little secrets! Better start sharing some of mine with her soon then, Hehe!_

"Ya know something Hinata?"

Her soft eyes made him nearly forget his witty retort then... but the resourceful man recovered beautifully... "I think we should talk a lot more."

The underlying 'humour' present in his statement was something only a person such as **Naruto** would have missed.

Her amused look made him laugh and nuzzle her neck, much to her instant giggling; him whispered something 'naughty' into her ear to make her blush even harder than before.

_Hmm… hmm! Oh Kiba-kun you're so very bad!_

Recovering from her giggling fit, Hinata noticed something come back to life inside of her...

... and then… it hit her all over again.

"A-Aahn!" _H-How could I have possibly forgotten about... that?_

The smirking man's seductive voice made her feel shivers crawl up her spine as he kissed her underneath her jaw line with a soft, masculine growl emanating from his throat, "So Hina-chan, shall we… 'continue' from where we left off?"

In no mood to deny the mind numbing pleasure that was coursing through her body as his hardened member rubbed itself relentlessly against her slick insides once again, the heiress arched her back and bucked in response to her lover's advances... her busty mammaries 'bouncing' slightly as her lower body shook.

"O-Oh… yes faster Kiba-kun! Faster!"

"You don't have to tell me twice Hon…" he replied with a wink before resuming his previous position of grabbing onto her 'chubby' posterior and ramming his manhood all the way upto its hilt, **deep** inside of his delicious woman as she writhed and moaned in ever-growing lust... her own arousal becoming too much for her to bear by then.

_Now where is that spot again…_

A shout of his name from her throat, "AAAAH! KIBA-KUN!", made him grin as his wild thrusts rammed his groin against her tight pussy lips.

_Hehe, found it._

_S-So warm. Kiba-kun is… so deep inside of me (Aahn!)! I l-love this… more Kiba-kun… m-more!_

Her internal demands did not fall on deaf ears as the male seemingly 'complied' with them by hitting her G-spot over and over again... making hot tears of painful pleasure fall down the sides of her cheeks as she wailed long and hard at the feel of becoming stretched apart...

... more and more by his thick members impressive girth by the passing second.

"AAAHN! Harder Kiba-kun… go inside **harder** please!"

_K-Kuso! I wanna fuck her tight little pussy so hard!_

"H-Hina… ta…" Kiba groaned out, feeling his inevitable end approach closer and closer with each new lunge by his groin towards her quaking hips... "… I'm close… a-almost there. Haa… haa…!"

Her trembling lips whimpered out her reply to his admittance, "M-Me too Kiba-kun… ohhh...!"

His movements became even more erratic as he slapped his flesh against hers harder and faster than before... making her push her head back into the pillow as her hips became partially raised into the air, **desperate** to squirt her love juices out of her overexcited system all at once.

"I-I'm going to burst KIBA-KUN!"

_I'm gonna fucking cum all over your insides Hinata!_ the Inuzuka mentally roared out.

The ever-tightening coil in her 'unbearably hot' core suddenly snapped itself apart without any warning at that point…

* * *

><p><strong>With Kiba and his current 'issues'…<strong>

"Kami… I'm gonna… explode inside you HINATAAA!" he yelled out from his very soul as he brutally went in and out of her hot, dripping canal... until…

… finally…

_URGHH!_

The mere appearance of stars in their eyes in all the vibrant colours of the rainbow was definitely **not** enough… the both of their conjoined forms letting out an ear piercing call of carnal satisfaction at the exact same time, as if trying to reach the 'very heavens' with their voices.

Wrapping her toned legs tightly around Kiba's waist in her dire moment of need and making his hips crash even more into her body, Hinata curled her little toes, feeling his member hit her **hard** inside of her passage... almost pushing itself past her sensitive cervix in its single-minded quest for 'unsated' release into her awaiting womb.

As the Hyuuga wrapped her limbs around his waist, the man knew then that Hinata had 'effectively' blocked off any last possible exit point from his end, her craving desire for him to only ejaculate his seed inside of her and **nowhere** else making moans of desperation fly out of her mouth and directly into his heart.

_Ohhh... I'm gonna squirt it all right into her!_

Eyes nearly rolling to the back of her head as her mind temporarily 'disintegrated' to its most primitive form, the female screamed out from her very soul as her throbbing 'bud' met with her love's groin one last time…

… before…

"A-AAAHN! KIBA-KUUUUN!"

Her sexual juices **gushed** out of her nether regions like a geyser finally letting its fury run wild…

... or like a landmine going off; entirely spraying her panting lover's lower half and thighs with the sticky nectar during it's explosive climax.

"AAAAH! Oh… oh yes… K-KIBAAA!"

During Hinata's cataclysmic climax, the way she was closing in so tightly around him, as if trying to choke his member to death by cutting off its oxygen supply or by making it melt right off of him due to her smoldering vaginal heat, made Kiba realize just how 'powerfully' her second orgasm had hit her.

His beloved angel's call for him to join her in her state of orgasmic pleasure heightened his 'ready-to-burst' libido as the dog-nin roared out her name... relishing the feel of her vaginal walls squeezing the very life out of his manhood, courtesy of their vice-like grip.

_Oh fuck… YEAH!_

"SHIT…!"

His own orgasm flowing at a speed faster than a flung kunai through his 'quaking' phallus made him groan deeply as he pumped his unstoppable hips into the woman below him a few more times...

... feeling his throbbing member penetrate her cervix completely via its tip before…

"D-DAMN… I LOVE YOU HINATAAA!"

He erupted deeply inside of her squelching vaginal walls, the tip of his rock-hard penis going right past her cervix as he did so... filling her empty womb to the brim with his thick seed.

"Haa… Haa…! Ugh!"

It was as if his whole life had flashed before his very eyes in that one tremendous moment of pent-up execution of his feelings, albeit in a physical manner.

Kiba panted and grunted like a calming beast, his love-filled essence filling Hinata completely until he didn't have a single 'drop' left within him... a sense of satisfaction overcoming his carnal mindset.

_Urgh…! Haa… Haa…! Oh Kami. I-I just made love to her… whew..._

It was entirely true indeed, the dog-nin and the heiress to one of Konoha's strongest clans had become one and connected each other into a bond so strong, the former knew that it could **never** be broken… even if they tried.

**AN: And now for the last piece of fluff before we ALL call it a night!**

* * *

><p>Glistening in a thick layer of sweat akin to the man hovering above her exhausted frame, Hinata dared not to open her eyes as the former remained stock still... barely seconds away from collapsing on top of her due to his labored breathing…<p>

... pants and gasps escaping his agape mouth as his mind returned to its previous 'normal' state.

_Haa… Haa… Kiba-kun and I… we... did it._

Her heart calmed and she felt as if all of her worries and concerns had just 'evaporated' into thin air at that point... her boyfriend, supported on his elbows and forearms now, lowering his lips slowly towards her sweat-covered neck…

… before whispering…

"A-Are you… okay Hina?"

"..."

The undisguised care and affection in his husky voice made tears appear in her milky orbs as she raised her weak arms towards his messy locks and pulled him towards herself, silently requesting for him to stay with her and not leave her side… ever.

"H-Hai… a-and you?"

Smirking and feeling like he was going to pass out at any moment, the Inuzuka replied whilst snuggling against her wet neck... his nose brushing against the tender skin there with him whispering out his reply, "Never better hime."

He added later with a light chuckle, "What did you expect?"

Giggling softly at his never-ending sense of humour, the indigo-haired woman sighed in contentment and gasped lightly as she felt his now 'much smaller' member gently pull itself out of her sore and lifeless lower lips... making her feel relieved as well as light-headed all at the same time.

_I wonder if I'll ever be able to walk again after this... hmm... hmm!_

Kiba carefully removed his physical presence from within his beloved's insides before proceeding to lie down beside her tired body, his own 'gleaming' torso letting out even breaths once again…

... the... 'workout' that they had just partaken in, making him look as if he had just ran a few hundred miles.

Turning towards the woman he had just made passionate love to, the man smiled and pulled her frame against his once more, enjoying the contact between their naked bodies as if it was something pure…

... as if they had **nothing** to hide from each other anymore; no barriers, no disguises... no nothing.

"Hinata…"

"Hm?"

Her sweet voice made his heart flutter as he moved his eyes towards her half-lidded ones, her right hand on his chest and a smile of contentment and acceptance present upon her beautiful face.

_Kami-sama. This is… the greatest gift you've ever given me…_

Feeling his eyes moisten as her soft features melted his heart away with their innocence and purity, the jounin rubbed his loving arms around her damp back and 'drowned' himself in the sounds of her heavenly sighs.

Moving his left palm onto her dark, silky locks and running his fingers down them as if guiding them across ripples in a pond... Kiba smiled and whispered to her…

… his heart in his eyes as he spoke.

"I love you… more than anything in this world."

Nothing more needed to be said beyond that Kiba knew, because... only mere seconds after, his precious angel let out a small sob and buried her face in his chest, her own admittance almost going past his 'acute' sense of hearing.

"I-I love you too Kiba-kun… so much…"

"Well... I **do** have that affect on people ya know," the cheeky Inuzuka smirked, letting his ego temporarily swell due to his own joke.

Snapping her head up towards his smug grin with a pout adorning her cute face, Hinata slapped him lightly upon his now 'rumbling' chest, his laugh refusing to cease as he told her between his chuckles how **adorable** she looked right then.

_Ha-ha, it's so easy to ruffle her feathers!_

Blushing profusely in spite of the 'tongue-in-cheek' response, the female simply grinned along with her jovial partner... relenting her mild annoyance and choosing to let the man off easy.

_**This** time,_ she inwardly giggled as dreams about their future life from then on flooded her psyche.

Raising an eyebrow at her sudden silence, _Not that she is a chatterbox anyway…_ Kiba kissed her lips lovingly one last time and spoke into her hair... "Sweet dreams Hinata-hime."

Closing her blurring eyes as the full brunt of their prior activities 'taxing' effects took hold over their bodies, Hinata curved her lips into a smile and whispered back to her now silent lover, "Goodnight Kiba-kun…"

Smiling as her soft, steady breathing tickled him, Kiba stroked her curtain of hair gently... having just enough energy within him to be able to watch his angel sleep in peace; beautiful face a **clear** reflection of the person that she was and had always been from the inside.

_Sleep well Hina. I'll still be here for you in the morning… my angel._

The man then followed his beloved happily to the land of dreams, where her silhouette was visible to him from all sides… much to his joy and delight.

_Hinata,_ the Alpha male whispered into her hair as she smiled one final time, in her sleep.

_My Hinata..._

With that, nightfall finally descended upon the two lovers... sounds of their steady breathing making all other elements of the darkness pale in comparison as they both slept spooned together 'blissfully' in each others arms; drenched in sweat, thoroughly exhausted, yet happy and content.

The strong smell of sweat and sex still permeated in the modest room of the Inuzuka heir but, at that moment, signified an aroma that gave off a feeling of real human emotion at its finest.

Of the type when two people would share their honest feelings for one another and be able to 'experience' the magic of their love...

… together.

* * *

><p><strong>In another part of Konoha...<strong>

A certain bug-user smiled in his sleep as his tiny winged messenger relayed to him a certain 'message', making him feel a sense of satisfaction quite like the one which he had been seeking for the longest time... in regard to his two best friends and comrades.

_Hmph,_ a small smirk grew across his lips, as he placed his free hand over his forehead... his eyelids drooping steadily over his vision.

_It's about time too._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: O.O Now THAT'S a lemon! ;D<strong>

**So then, only a couple of chapters to go before I wrap this up folks... kindly READ & REVIEW this chappie while you're at it okay?**

**Fin**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter XV: Revelations

**Disclaimer: Talks are underway between Kishimoto-san and I (Lolz)**

**AN: Awesome, 3000+ hits! Keep 'em coming people!**

**I'm extremely sorry for the delay… happens with me a lot I guess! ;D**

**Enjoy this chapter and may god bless…**

* * *

><p>Light…<p>

... the type brighter than what his dark eyes were normally accustomed to… stung the dog-nin square on his face, causing him to growl softly in irritation at being awoken from his relaxing slumber.

_Grrr… what's with the damn light show?_

Rubbing at his closed eyes tentatively with his left hand, and scratching his brown locks soon after, he sighed deeply... _Man, I haven't crashed like that in years. Must have exhausted myself to the very bone last night, Hehe!_

He let loose a lazy yawn before feeling the weight of another living being upon his broad chest.

_Hm?_

Momentarily confused, Kiba realized quickly enough as to what, or rather, **who** it was.

_Oh… hehe, it's the little ol' tooth fairy huh?_

The creature moaned softly and subconsciously nuzzled him in her sleep, lips slightly curved upwards in a small smile.

_Nope,_ he corrected himself with a grin. _It's an angel… my angel._

Staring at his mate's glowing face as her lips remained in an upward curve throughout the duration of her light snoring, Kiba felt his eyes soften at the sight before him, 'drinking in' the way his sheets covered her smooth skin only upto her mid back, leaving nothing to the imagination as her glorious rump managed to 'stand out' through the material.

_I'm seriously one **lucky** bastard… Ha-ha!_

His hand left ghostly strokes upon her exposed upper arm... her sighing at the affectionate touch, unaware and pretty much 'uncaring' as to who was behind it.

_Damn she's so beautiful like this… silent and innocent..._

"Like a baby…" the dog-nin whispered with a smile, blowing at her bangs gently as she snuggled more into his arms and chest.

Moving her silky strands of luscious dark locks out of her face to catch a glimpse of her angelic features, he grinned, knowing that she would wake up at any moment…

... whilst he tugged at his own tussled hair, hoping to atleast look presentable when she **did** come to.

_Aaand… now_, he snapped his fingers near her exposed right ear, keeping his eyes fixed upon her closed ones.

"..."

Fluttering her lilac orbs open with a small moan of contentment towards her current position of rest, the drowsy Hyuuga met her lovers 'loving' gaze and smiled warmly... nearly forgetting the fact that they were covered in **nothing** more than his bed sheets.

_Kiba-kun…_

Springing up into a seated position and letting out an 'eep!' once she discovered her state of undress, Hinata received the full brunt of the Inuzuka male's laughter; pouting back at him with her arms crossed once he had managed to calm himself down…

... but failing to contain her giggles when he placed his head upon her left shoulder, puppy dog eyes staring up towards her upturned nose, his nose nuzzling her creamy neck as a chuckle escaped him.

_The laughing hyena, hmm… hmm!_

"Morning…" he breathed softly into her ear.

Turning towards his smoldering gaze, the woman blushed as she held the soft sheets closer to her ample cleavage in mild embarrassment, still a stranger to sharing a bed so intimately with someone as energetic and 'frivolous' as Kiba.

_Hmm… hmm! He's always been really excited in the mornings._

It was quite easy for her to tell actually, having to rely upon the experience of the many years where they, as parts of their former genin team, had to camp out into the wilderness during missions.

Her train of thought was temporarily forgotten as she responded to his husky greeting with her own timid one, feeling his arms snake around her waist from beneath the thin sheets.

_And cheeky too…!_

* * *

><p>"G-Good morning Kiba-kun…"<p>

He only grinned back in response… atleast for the first two seconds...

"Oh it's one hell of a **great** morning alright!"

Turning bright red at his insinuation, Hinata had 'little to no' time to react as he gently locked his lips with hers once more... making her sigh into the lip lock as he let out a rough groan at her taste.

"Hinata…" _It's so hard to control myself around her now. Her taste, it's… still the same._

Snaking his adventurous hand further around her thin waist and pulling her towards him, Kiba deepened their kiss even more, making his shy angel grab onto his tufts of brown hair whilst her breasts pressed deliciously against his ripped chest... her moans drowning out his own sounds of pleasure.

_Hehe, she's getting quite good at this._

"Mmm…" the heiress moaned softly as her affectionate boyfriend got more demanding with his heated actions upon her lips and across her nude body, teasing the flesh near her hips and giving it a squeeze.

"Not again Kiba-kun…" she protested, although half-heartedly, due to the growing heat between them. "I-I'm… still sore from last night."

Smirking at her candid admittance, the Inuzuka released his flushed bedmate from his hold slowly before witnessing her eyes become downcast, as if she had **just** recalled something highly important…

... something that she should have taken into consideration… much earlier.

_Trouble's brewing and I can smell it._ He did **not** like the worried aura surrounding his woman, not in the least bit.

"Hm? What's wrong Hina?" he inquired in a low tone, obvious worry and concern visible in his dark orbs as he pulled her closer to his body's heat, sniffing her hair deeply with sighs of satisfaction escaping his throat. _Damn, she smells simply fabulous… at any time of the day._

Her eyes staring at her covered lap as she silently accepted his touch, Hinata closed her eyes before feeling Kiba's large hands grasp her own from behind... _(Sigh) How could I have forgotten about something so important?_

Looking at his face made her gasp as she felt her body drown into his loving embrace, sighing at the intimate contact that their naked bodies currently shared with each other.

_I have to tell him… he must know._

Making up her mind, the woman met Kiba's tender gaze once more, gathering up her courage for making the confession that she **knew** would put whatever little moments of bliss that they had shared with one another so far in danger of becoming mere memories… _H__opefully not permanently,_ she silently prayed, the very thought of being separated from her love making her eyes well up with unshed tears.

_I-I don't know what I would do without him._

"..."_  
><em>

Noticing the hesitancy in her voice, Kiba stroked her soft cheek before asking for her to continue. _Whatever it is… it's seriously causing her to lose her nerve here._

He hugged her closer to his body, nuzzling her neck as she sighed in response.

Sucking in a calming breath, the troubled female finally let it out of her system, "Kiba-kun I…" She held back for a brief moment yet pushed on whilst gazing deeply into the warm eyes of the man she loved.

"I d-don't know what otousan will have to say about…" her orbs landed upon his hands that were encircled around her waist, in a protective hold, " … about this."

Wiping a stray tear from her left eye, she hoped for it to be the last.

_H-He won't accept him. He just won't…_

* * *

><p><strong>Her partner…<strong>

_No wonder,_ Kiba shook his head at her valid concern. _Hmph, I knew he would be that… 'thorn' in our way._

Lifting her cupped cheek towards his face, the dog-nin smiled at the fear present within her beautiful orbs before placing another brief kiss upon her quivering lips, silently transferring his feelings of optimism and self-belief into her worried heart.

"Don't worry hime…" he whispered, the firm resolve in his voice 'undisguised and unrelenting' in its quality.

"B-But…" the indigo-haired woman began, not understanding his lack of worry at their predicament.

Placing a patient finger on her mouth, Kiba grinned slowly before sharing his own feelings on the matter with his beloved. _Hehe, I guess it's time to enter into rebel-mode huh?_

"Hinata, It doesn't matter to me what your father thinks… or what **anyone** else thinks for that matter! All I know is…"

Kiba, for the first time since the previous night of their passionate lovemaking, hesitated... _Just tell it to her face already you idiot,_ he inwardly egged himself on as she simply kept her eyes fixed upon his; hands unmoving from their positions around his own, fingers placed over his.

"… All I know is that I'm as much yours as you are mine now… I... can't live without you Hinata."

He buried his head in her shoulder before feeling his body let out a shudder due to his held-back sobs, his angel comforting him by turning in his embrace to stroke his back slowly, her own eyes letting her emotions 'fall free' onto his sheets.

"I f-feel the same way Kiba-kun…" she confessed, unwilling to imagine life without him. _I've finally found what I've always wanted… someone who would love and accept me._

Her brows furrowed for a moment as her will refused to break, _I will **not** let him go… I… can't._

Lifting his head from its previous position, the Inuzuka gave her an uneasy smile and said, "Hey… don't cry hime."

He wiped away her flowing tears with his thumb as she leaned into his touch, letting out a small sniff.

Smiling at her sorrowful expression, he kissed her pink cheek softly before continuing, "We just have to convince that block-of-ice that you call your 'father' that you're no longer, or rather, were never a weak little girl who was incapable of making her own decisions."

_It's **about** time anyway. I don't care if they've managed to properly reconcile or not, Hinata's old man **must** be given the heads up that she is no longer someone who can be pressed under his overbearing thumb._

The passing look of uncertainty in her milky orbs made him hug her tighter against his chest... as he whispered out his final words into her smooth hair, his 'real' emotions making themselves known as he did so.

_Damn, she makes me so… sentimental sometimes._

Kiba couldn't help but chuckle to himself at that piece of information... _Heh, maybe **that's** how I learned so quickly that I was in love with her._

"I can only be strong for us if… if you're there beside me Hina-chan," he confessed, hold remaining steady upon her curvaceous body.

The woman whimpered silently against him as he held on, as if afraid that she would be snatched away from his protective arms.

"I **can** face your father all alone but… without you there, I wouldn't get the chance to see you finally 'standing up' for yourself. Something that you are entitled to do now that you've become such a strong and wonderful person."

"K-Kiba-kun…"

Eyes snapping towards his before his mouth nuzzled her neck; hot breath making her shiver, his touch coaxed her to dig her fingers into his hair and pull him ever closer to her enticed skin.

_I c-can't let him down,_ Hinata thought, her heart aching in her chest for a tiny moment before easing up... obviously because of his love-filled ministrations upon her body. _I… love him too much to be able to._

"Hinata, I'm asking you to do this… for us both…" he began, looking into her pupil-less pools, "… but mostly for yourself. You understand now, ne?"

Kiba's desperate lips placed feather light trails of his affection on the nape of her smooth neck, the creamy flesh under his touch making him grow 'excited' beyond belief.

"Unnh!"

The Hyuuga tried to hold back her moan of pleasure as her lover applied his gentle nibbles along her jaw line, as she begged for him to not stop through the use of her unashamed hands... the very same hands that had clawed all along his taut back the night previously as he plunged into her depths from above her welcoming body.

"I… I understand Kiba-kun." _How could I not? You wouldn't have been satisfied until I had anyway, hmm… hmm!_

* * *

><p>Pulling back from his gorgeous mate, Kiba stroked her cheek with a gentle smile on his face as she met his gaze with her half-lidded one.<p>

"Kami, you're so beautiful in the morning Hinata…" _I'd much rather watch your sleeping face than the rising sun… any day._

Glancing away from his eyes, those very same eyes that had (only mere hours back) ingested the entirety of her 'unclothed body' just how she had, Hinata blushed at his compliment with a shy smile.

"Ya know, I bet that I look like shit right now, Hehe!" The jounin scratched the back of his head in mild embarrassment, glancing down at his lap for a small second.

"Never exactly been a morning person to be fair."

Muffling her giggles behind her hand, the kunoichi looked back at him and whispered out her reply, with humour apparently 'rolling' off of her words in waves.

"Hmm… hmm! You w-wouldn't believe just how… how…"

"...?"

Raising an eyebrow at her mild hesitancy, Kiba smirked deviously at his adorable girlfriend's present state of verbal difficulty as realization dawned upon him.

_Of course! Hinata's been raised up as a polite and proper lady by those uptight prudes all her life. It's no wonder that she would find it tough to even give a guy a good enough compliment, Ha-ha!_

Gulping down the forming lump in her throat, the woman found it even more straining to let her thoughts be known once her 'personal heater' began to prod her about her previous stutter.

She **was** glad that the tense emotions playing around them both had ceased for the moment but… her voice apparently **still** found it an arduous task to penetrate her shy speech barrier at that point.

"Hm? Just how… **what** Hina?"

Feeling surprisingly annoyed at her inability to voice out what she thought by then, about her very own 'boyfriend' nonetheless, Hinata frowned deeply and pushed her words out of her tongue's tight hold, "U-Um… I meant that you…"

Impressed as well as astounded at the sheer effort that the shy female was putting forth just to let him know how he looked in the morning, Kiba smirked and gave his beloved a sneaky peck upon her pink cheek… which inadvertently made her blurt the remainder of her statement out… all at once.

_Works every time..._

"… you look sexy when you wake up in the morning Kiba-kun…! Um…"

Realizing that she had worded her pent-up answer in one 'hurried' go, Hinata covered her face as if she had just committed a grave sin in going through with providing a description of the male's looks. _Oh wow. I-I said it… I really did._

"..."_  
><em>

Amused at his precious Hinata's antics, Kiba moved to gently remove her snowflake like hands from her flaming face. _Man, she needs to work on how to compliment a guy **without** feeling like she just swore in his face!_

Holding his chuckles within his chest with great difficulty, he gave the embarrassed woman a tender hug before praising her efforts, "Wow, you really think so Hon?" _(Sigh!) The things that a guy has to go through with his girl sometimes…_

Burying her face in his chest, cheeks almost about to catch **fire** by that point, Hinata nodded silently against his warmth.

"Well well, I guess I really **am** sexy then. If someone like you thinks so then I definitely am!" Kiba was simply too… 'flirtatious' by that point to notice the secret smile that his angel was forming upon her sweet face.

Smiling and then giggling at his words, Hinata returned his embrace with more confidence than ever before and replied, "You wouldn't believe exactly for h-how long I knew that piece of information Kiba-kun."

Grinning back at her, the jounin gave his mate another searing kiss as she easily melted against his aggressive approach, almost giving him the signal that she wanted a 'repeat' of last night's events in her haze.

_O-Oh Kiba-kun…_

"K-Kiba~mm…!" the heiress moaned at the heated contact, digging her nails into his back; body arching against him with 'unabashed' need permeating from her.

"Hinata…"

The dog-nin returned her affections with unbridled enthusiasm before reminding himself of her… problem.

_We'll do it later then... I guess._

Unattaching their glued lips, much to her slight irritation, Kiba reminded her of her present 'difficulties' in regards to them having a second round of… intercourse.

"...!"

Eyes widening considerably at his concerns, Hinata asked him in a shaky voice, "B-But how did you know Kiba-kun?"

Nibbling on her cute earlobe playfully, he grinned whilst answering her query, "Silly, you yourself told it to me not too long ago remember?"

Recalling what she had told him, only mere minutes ago, the kunoichi turned crimson and gave him an uneasy smile as he grinned wider than before at her flustered visage.

* * *

><p>Looking towards their discarded clothes, she suddenly said, "Shouldn't we g-get dressed?" <em>We both might... catch a cold this way too.<em>

Giving her a look of such intensity that she felt her core begin to **ache** with a primal need for him, Kiba replied seductively, "Why the hurry to get all 'covered-up' Hina-chan? Don't you think that we should get to know each other better… like this?"

_Whoa Kiba, don't push it that much you dog… or you're gonna find yourself sleeping on the couch soon._

His warnings to his spontaneous tongue came a 'tad bit too late' as…

Pushing him away from her playfully with her face a tomato red, Hinata squealed out her… response to his intentions, "EW! Kiba-kun y-you're so perverted!"

Grinning like a madman, the Inuzuka male immediately followed his mate as she got up and off the cozy bed, readily scooping her up and into his powerful arms... with her thrashing and struggling like a little child in his hold.

"Hmm… hmm! Kiba-kun!"

He simply winked and ignored her half-hearted protests as she laughed out loud, obviously enjoying the teasing.

_He really is **so** unruly in whatever he does…!_

"W-What are you planning to do with me?"

Smirking at her as she looked up at him with her lilac orbs, curiosity shining all across them, Kiba changed her position to bridal style and headed towards his large bathroom… the idea of sharing a bath with his 'gorgeously nude' angel just crossing his dastardly mind._ Hehe, time for some fun with my little hime-chan!_

"Oh now that'll ruin all the fun… dontcha think?"

He pushed the door open lazily with his left foot as she buried her head in his shoulder, too embarrassed to even look him in the eye anymore.

Once inside, he gently put her down, allowing for her get a good look at their new surroundings before getting down to proceed with... 'business'. _Now where's that bubble-bath lotion Hana kept for me to use last week…_

"..."

Covering her large breasts as an involuntary reaction to being so severely unclothed, whilst her partner 'casually' headed over to fill his bathtub to the brim with warm water; winking her way for a moment and causing her to flush bright red before glance away from his beastly eyes, the kunoichi couldn't help but feel as if he was feasting upon her through them.

She soon however, felt her heart begin to flutter and a small smile form on her lips, one of anticipation and apparent excitement at getting to experience the... **wild** side of her lover all over again.

Although, this time it would probably be in someplace 'other than' his soft bed.

_H-He can be such an… animal sometimes,_ Hinata blushed, the heat in her nether regions 'increasing' in its intensity at the very thought.

_W-Will we… do it again? I-In here?_ she wondered, the heat rising to her cheeks; lower lips beginning to moisten at the very thought...

... as her breath began to quicken at the naked form of the dog-nin in front of her.

She didn't bother to wonder whether he **was** indeed testing her patience and level of self-control with his wicked tricks then...

* * *

><p>Done with preparing the tub, Kiba poured some of the bubble-bath lotion, having found it at last, into it and smirked at his progress, <em>Now <strong>that's<strong> what I call a lather..._ before turning towards Hinata once more…

… only to find her crash right into him, her 'famished' lips smashing themselves against his; arms wrapping themselves around his neck as he stumbled back by a good two feet.

_W-Whoa! What's gotten into her?!_

Her arduous moans against his lips made his doubts dissipate quickly enough however.

_Ah hell, what do I care...!_

Invading the aroused woman's wet cavern, the Inuzuka wrestled furiously with her slick tongue as if trying to survive off of its taste.

Having both of her eyes closed also gave him the opportunity to glance in the direction of his showerhead... _Hmm… why not?_

Smirking evilly at his latest idea, the man kept his left arm around Hinata's snug waist... whilst trying to reach out for the bathing apparatus; turning the tap 'on' rapidly as his girlfriend opened her eyes slowly at his actions.

"Kiba-kun? What are you-?"

"!"

Being suddenly drenched in lukewarm water made the poor woman scream 'out loud' in surprise; chuckles belonging to the dog-nin ringing in her ears from her side. _Ooh…! He's definitely going to pay for that one!_ the Hyuuga grinned mischievously, rubbing the relaxing liquid away from her 'more-than-awake' orbs...

... only to find her culprit **already** there in front of her, the showerhead placed above them whilst his hand snaked it's way around her rounded hips once more.

Smiling at her fierce blush, Kiba inquired in a husky tone, "Better?"

"..."

Nodding slowly and burying her face in his shoulder with a small smile, Hinata heard his chuckles dissipate steadily before…

"!"

"K-Kiba-kun!"

The devious man had reached for her right butt cheek with his left hand, having sneakily planned his little trip all along whilst she was still distracted.

He proceeded to give the mass of flesh a tender squeeze, relishing in her cry of embarrassment at his groping touch. _Man, every inch of her is delicious._

"Nani?" the jounin asked her, his eyes acting surprised and the only thing missing from the scene being an imaginary 'halo' atop his head.

"Y-You're really so **very** perverted."

The kunoichi gave him a mock glare, her pout already in place as he simply gave her a toothy grin in response... causing her embarrassment to vanish from her mind yet again.

_How does he keep doing that to me?_ Hinata wondered, trying her best to act in anger towards her lover's felony.

"Gomen Hina-chan… I guess you… make me turn into one, ne?"

Flushing a bright red at his words, the woman trembled in his hold, feeling the area between her legs grow warmer by the second.

"Y-You smooth talker…" _He always had an excuse… (Sigh) I give up._

Smirking against her neck and placing light kisses along the raw marks that he had left there previously, Kiba whispered, "Why thank you miss… and now if you don't mind…"

Turning off the constant flow of water, he removed his lips from her creamy flesh… and began devouring her mouth all over again, gasping out his intentions against her delicious lips, "... I'd like a… 'quickie' please."

Finding absolutely **no** reason to deny him his wish, Hinata pulled him closer to her shivering form as he rubbed the area just above her buttocks gently... making her turn into a boneless mass in his tender grip… her next words making him shove his tongue into her cavern due to their effect upon his arousal.

"Please Kiba-kun… aah! I n-need you… in me…"

Losing his composure like a fish would lose its buoyancy once out of water, the brunette groaned deeply and 'grinded' his erection against his woman's heated core, making her moan out loud and dig her fingers into his skull at the amazing sensation.

"Hina… ta. Mmm…!"

Placing kisses along her jaw line, he dug his own fingers into her fleshy hips... taking care to not apply 'too much' pressure as his growing need to be inside his angel grew almost **too** painful for him... _Wow… this will make it twice in a row. Damn, I love this woman._

"I-I can't hold myself… back anymore hime. Kami…" the Inuzuka breathed out, having his mouth placed upon her wet neck, as he guided her form towards the tiled wall behind her.

Gasping at his ministrations, Hinata bucked her hips out towards his member... whining as the object of her affections 'teased' her endlessly.

"A-Aahn…! Oh please Kiba-kun… p-put it in… hurry…!" _I can't **bear** it anymore… I n-need him so bad…_

Such was her state of carnal lust that she failed… miserably, to react towards the coldness of the wall coming into contact with her nude back.

Pecking her lips lovingly as she gasped desperately in reply, the Inuzuka smiled at her glazed orbs... the ones he loved so much, "Alright… here I go hime." _Man, does she drive me wild or what…_

"I'll go slow first, okay?"

His concerned assurances made her smile softly, despite her lack of mental control… as she felt her moral code 'vanish' before her very eyes.

"H-Hurry Kiba-kun… I can't bear it anymore!"

* * *

><p><strong>(Hinata's POV)<strong>

Feeling his kisses descend along my neck, I felt the world spin around me as his manhood rubbed itself against my nether lips... managing to make me nearly beg for him to simply 'take me' right then and there.

My shivering hands reached up to touch his hair, as my fingers dug themselves in his scalp... pulling him even closer to my body's boiling surface…

"Aahn! Kiba-kun please… I c-can't take it anymore!"

He, thankfully, complied graciously and, placing his careful hands upon my quaking hips whilst I wrapped my legs snugly around his waist, pushed that 'blessed thing' slowly into me; **after** I had placed that jutsu upon my lower abdominals once more...

_Aaah…! He's completely filling me from the inside._

… making me sigh in erotic pleasure, stretching me deliciously all the way upto the end of my vaginal passage as I bucked my hips out towards his groin.

"O-Oh…! Yes! Deeper Kiba-kun… AAAHN!"

His sudden jerk towards me sent a jolt up my spine as he kissed my shoulders, his groans being like music to my ears… that is, as long as I could still hear him…

... because right after that... his inner **animal** came out to play, his mouth nipping at my flesh as I let out sounds that I didn't even know I was capable of making, out my throat.

"Unnh!"

"Mmm… Hinata…!"

He lifted me up higher so that my breasts were squashed pleasurably against his heaving chest, and grunted out my name as his grip upon my buttocks remained steady... his thrusts growing more needy and wild as he **slammed** my backside against the wall behind me…

... with me shamelessly screaming his name over and over in my lustful 'haze'.

"D-Dammit it Hinata… I can't hold it in anymore!"

That was all he said before he plundered my core upto the hilt with deep strokes, pulling out as quickly as he had come and then 'impaling' me all over again.

"A-Aaah! Faster… **faster** Kiba-kun!"

My pleading voice called only for him in my hour of need as I felt the coil in my lower regions tighten painfully, almost making me buck my hips harder against his as he was thrusting mercilessly into me.

"Oh… Kiba-kun! AAAAHN! H-Harder…! Do it harder please!"

Sweat dripping onto the tiled floor of his bathroom, I let myself out of my introverted shell... knowing that only **he** could hear my calls of pleasure anyway…

... sounds that I knew his ears would 'relish' thoroughly.

Like the gentleman that he was, Kiba immediately complied with my request and rammed his huge phallus right into me; pushing its rock-hard tip forcefully against my cervix until tears of pleasure dripped from my eyes and my inner walls squeezed themselves around its form.

"K-Kiba-kun… so good…! M-More deeper a-aah!"

The man who I loved so much, grunted against my wet neck, almost as if in pain… letting his emotions reach my heart through his pants of exhaustion... introducing me temporarily to that **beast** that resided within him.

"H-Hinata… I love being inside you... damn…!"

His groans as he approached his own end made my heart flutter and feelings of 'pure love' escalate in my soul for him, against all the carnal lust that surrounded us right then...

... since these were emotions from the man who I truly loved more than anything else that I knew of; my moans following his own soon after... before…

... inevitably…

"I-I'm going to…!" _Oh Kami!_

I felt my passage be brutally plundered by his thick member well beyond it's natural limit and…

"AAAAH! KIBAAAA!"

I felt my core finally catch fire as my voice tried to nearly tear itself out of my lungs; heaving breasts pushing themselves against his muscular torso… as I squirted my sexual juices right out of my burning womanhood.

* * *

><p><strong>(Kiba's POV)<strong>

Knowing just how shy she still was about all things related to… 'sex', for lack of a better word that I could use in my present state of arousal, I didn't expect my little Hinata to be so very bold in her requests towards me.

_She's **really** a wild one when she wants to be, Hehe!_

After I had penetrated her yet again, she had almost grown 'uncontrollable' with her lustful demands…

... making me forget anything else that concerned our surrounding environment by that point as I devoured her white flesh... my hips thrusts hitting her tight pussy lips like a primal beast's would… over and over again... each time harder and faster than before as I stretched her inner walls further apart.

_So damn… tight!_

"Oh Kami Hinata… ugh! Y-You're so tight Hon…"

Feeling her walls clamp down, almost painfully, against my member made me look at her flushed and pink face.

_Wow…_

Not surprisingly… it was **the** most beautiful expression that I had ever seen on her. So desperate yet so serene… filled with a deep and passionate hunger while still maintaining a speck of contentment and 'satisfaction'.

"..."

Shutting my eyes as I felt my manhood slide in all the way upto its hilt, poking hard against her cervix, I completely 'lost it' at the sound of her melodious voice…

"AAAAH! KIBAAAA!"

It was truly heaven… **my** personal experience of heaven.

* * *

><p><strong>(Normal 3rd person view)<strong>

His throbbing member feeling almost ready to erupt his seed inside of her again, Kiba rammed his endowment harder and faster into his beloved, her screams of innate joy and lust egging him on.

"H-Hina…! I'm going to…"

"KIBAAAA!"

Her call of pent-up sexual pleasure... combined with the way her warm juices squirted themselves all over his shaft and inner thighs, made him yell out against her soft neck as…

"HINATAAAA!"

… he **finally** exploded inside of her canal, his own orgasm making his knees tremble; grip upon her body nearly losing its stability.

"Ugh! Haa… Haa…!"

The huge eruption made his vision turn pure white for a moment as his brain nearly imploded in response.

"I'm... cumming inside of you Hina-chan... ugh!"

"K-Kiba-kun... yes... please. Inside me...!"

Her orgasmic spasms dieing down after his thick seed filled her insides completely, all the way to her very limit, Hinata gasped softly as her breathing came out in short bursts upon her recovery.

"Haa… Haa…! Oh Kiba-kun…" _He came in me... it's s-so warm... mnn..._

"..."_  
><em>

It took him an **entire** minute to be able to respond to her voice.

Meeting her pale eyes, Kiba moved towards her lips, as if in a trance, and gently brushed her own… "H-Hinata…"

Smiling into the lip lock as their exhausted bodies began their recovery process, Hinata placed her face into the nape of his neck; eyes shut as she felt him sigh into her hair.

"That w-was… so…"

Silencing her with another soft kiss, the dog-nin grinned at his mate; eyes showing her just how happy he was feeling while being with her in such an intimate position.

"Shhh… I know Hina. Just let me enjoy… this feeling of looking at you." _I can keep looking at your beautiful face all day anyway, Ha-ha!_

Blushing deeply at his confession, the kunoichi sighed as his soft member left her drenched insides, _I feel so… empty without it…_ the excess quantity of their mixed juices steadily dripping past her lower lips and onto the bathroom floor, making her glance briefly towards the 'puddle' beneath her unsteady form as the panting male wrapped a protective arm around her waist.

_Hmm… hmm! I guess we both made a big mess._

"I love you so much Hina..."_  
><em>

She sighed against him as he held her steady, managing to stand on his feet in spite of their 'laborious' workout... embracing her tenderly so that she could catch her expended breath comfortably.

"Time to clean ourselves up hime…" Kiba whispered into her ear, kissing her flushed cheek lovingly.

"Hm... okay."

Lifting her up bridal style once more, somehow summoning enough strength into his limbs from 'Kami-knew-where' and gently placing her into the semi-filled tub, the jounin smiled at the way his love raised her arms towards him…

... 'more-than-wanting' for him to share the relaxing bath with her.

"Kiba-kun…"

Her sweet smile could easily tell anyone the 'whole story' of the relationship that they presently shared, silky locks having droplets cascade down them as her beautiful orbs remained fixated upon his own brown ones.

He found no reason to argue with his gorgeous bathing partner then… _She hardly needs to persuade me for something like this! Ha-ha!_

* * *

><p><strong>After some memorable minutes of the Inuzuka male telling his angel just how much he loved and adored her… whilst they both bathed in peace… together<strong>

As his shy girlfriend busied herself by changing into some 'apparels'; his sisters, from her room beside his, Kiba pondered over what had occurred between the both of them since the last evening or so…

_I'm **not** letting her get away this time. Before it was only Naruto who was part of the picture… but now…_

His gaze fell upon the side of the bed on which she had slept all through the night... the scent of her delightful body still present in it in absolute abundance. Nearly radiating off of the soft surface as his nose sucked it in greedily, making his lips turn upwards at the sensation.

_Wow, I can definitely get used to her amazing scent now, Hehe!_

He lifted his sheets, taking in a deep sniff of the aroma of his mate that wafted all the way through it and into his 'heightened' olfactory senses.

_Aaah…_ Kiba shuddered as a broad smile found its way upon his face at the unique sensation.

_Kami, she smells just like an **entire** garden filled with flowers. Funny how it can make me feel calm and excited at the same time._

He shook his head and reached over to arrange the pillows… **their** pillows properly against the head of the large bed.

Pulling a casual, form-fitting t-shirt over his 'squeaky clean' form, he thought further, _It's even better that I actually like the smell of cinnamon buns coming from her… or was it cinnamon rolls?_

"..."_  
><em>

Confused about exactly **what** her favourite delicacy was, having not spent too much attention on the subject before, the man crossed his arms whilst keeping his eyes closed all the while…

… obviously 'unaware' of the fact that his lover was entering the open room.

_Ah, who cares. Hinata likes both of the things anyway… I wonder when was the last time I took her out to have one of those? _He continued with his inner debate, unable to pick up on his girlfriend's arrival.

"Kiba-kun are you done? We-"

Her soft, beautiful voice finally reached him.

Turning towards her, Kiba rubbed the back of his head and replied, "Yeah, I'm done hime."

"..."

Her 'aghast' expression made his brows furrow in concern.

"Uh, what's the matter Hina?" _What's she staring at?_

Freezing in her tracks as her face turned **bright** red at the sight before her, Hinata screamed before covering her face in mortification at the view that she had just been gifted with... by the oblivious jounin.

"EW! KIBA-KUN PUT YOUR PANTS ON!"

"...!"

Eyes turning the size of saucers at her words, the man glanced down at his 'uncovered' goods…

… whilst, at the same time, yelling in unison; face turning redder than his tattoos by then. _Did I actually forget to…!_

"N-NANI?!"

The morning couldn't have been more 'balanced'… starting off as simply fabulous and then…

... turning absolutely ridiculous.

* * *

><p><strong>The Hyuuga estates<strong>

In a secluded section of the main family house, a man walks on with a purpose…

... one involving his eldest child's future in general; calculative mind forming more and more unhealthy ideas involving the latter by the minute.

_This act of hers is inexcusable. **How** could she have done such a thing?_

His thoughts turned icy in their nature as he felt his composure slip away from his immediate mental grasp..._ Careless and irresponsible is what she is._

Being reminded of the little 'talk' that he had just undergone with his second daughter the previous day, the leader of the illustrious Hyuuga clan rubbed his aching temples as he pushed open the door to his private study…

... the **only** place where he could finally achieve solitude and be able to make sense of the events occurring around him.

_If… what Hanabi says is true, then…_

Crossing his fingers across each other and placing his elbows upon his chalk-white robes, as he stayed seated on an easy chair, the man frowned slightly...

... the recent memory playing itself out in his sharp mind yet again.

_An entire night has passed… and there is **still** no news of her whereabouts._

The dangerous crease adorning his fine brow could have made any normal man 'wet' himself right then.

_Hinata… even your own sister doesn't know where you are._

* * *

><p><strong>Flashback (the day before, around the same time that Team 8 had unknowingly been gathered in the sake bar)<strong>

_Opening the doors to her father's study after having been summoned by him earlier, Hanabi swallowed the growing lump in her throat... catching sight of the powerful man standing with his hands clasped behind his back; choosing to not acknowledge her presence whatsoever._

_("As usual…" the kunoichi sighed to herself, eyes shut in mild sorrow at her only parent's actions.)_

_The man had warmed up considerably towards her and her quiet sister but… only by what he preferred as the 'required amount'._

_("If only he would act more warmly around neesan and Neji-niisan then...")_

_"O-Otousan? You summoned me?" the teen began, the politeness that had been 'ingrained' into her psyche since an early age making its presence automatically felt._

_"..." _

_Turning around to look his second-born in the eye, successfully making her feel the coldness of his stern gaze, Hiashi spoke in an even tone... managing to hide the displeasure in his voice with great efficiency, "Where is Hinata?_

_The icy seriousness in his tone did not go by unnoticed by the girl... for she knew that he usually would not even state her older siblings name when referring to her…_

_... but this time…_

_"I-I think she's gone out to train with her team."_

_Deciding to add a bit of detail to her answer lest he prodded her further, she pushed on, "She w-went to look for Kiba if I'm not mistaken... a little while ago."_

_Giving him a concrete answer seemed to be a much wiser choice for the chuunin right then, seeing as the man seemed to be on edge for some reason._

_("I wonder what's been bothering him lately? He's **never** been this concerned about neesan before…")_

_She remained silent, waiting for his reaction._

_Closing his eyes with a deft nod, Hiashi turned around once more to gaze out of the window again; his daughter standing obediently in her current position, shuffling her feet with growing nervousness at his indifferent demeanor towards her…_

_... which seemed to be even more than the one he 'used to' practice upon her sister... years ago._

_("She obviously does not know much about her current whereabouts then," the adult sighed softly, opening his vision to the warmth of the sun's rays once again.)_

_Adopting an unnaturally soft tone, he said; head slightly tilted in her direction, "Thank you Hanabi... that will be all."_

_"..." _

_Eyes widening at the words uttered by her father, the girl simply nodded and took her leave… smiling to herself at his hidden kindness towards her and her sibling._

_("I guess the war was good in a sense… for all of us.")_

_It was that event indeed, which had made the invisible barriers existing in the midst of the head and branch families, be 'torn down' with immediate effect... courtesy of a remorseful and repentant Hiashi._

_Four years ago, he **had** changed as a man... of that there was no doubt… _

_... and yet…_

_("I just cannot help but worry over what that simple-minded daughter of mine gets upto," Hiashi inwardly sighed, yet felt a sense of calming joy at knowing that whatever may have happened in the past… it was all behind them now.)_

_Things in the household had changed and for the better... of that he was absolutely certain._

_"Oh, and Hanabi…"_

_Said female halted in her tracks and turned around instantly at the sound of his voice, "Hai?"_

_Curving his lips upwards 'ever-so-slightly', he spoke, "... make sure… that the Sarutobi heir stays out of trouble." His amused undertone was something that surprised even him.  
><em>

_Blushing at the disguised meaning behind his words, the young woman bowed lowly and immediately took her leave from his presence… feeling utterly joyful at having a loving father once again..._

_... regardless of the fact that he seldom showed his 'affectionate' side to her or her sister._

_("His soft side, regardless of how little of it he shows, has had the best effect on neesan and Neji's lives. I just hope she doesn't get 'grounded' by him for staying out all night though, hmm… hmm!")_

_Hanabi shut the door behind her quietly whilst smiling once again at something that had been bugging her mind for some time._

_("If Kiba is somehow involved with what happened to neesan last night then… Kami help him, Ha-ha!")_

**End flashback**

* * *

><p><strong>That<strong>… scenario was when he was sure that she would, like she normally did, come home on time… but…

_Staying out for such a lengthy duration of time. For the **entire** duration of a night?!_

Hiashi shook his head, feeling his self-control slipping away from him even more... seeing as he had a young **and** beautiful daughter roaming around 'Kami-knew-where' all on her own.

I knew there was a none-too-casual reason that she requested for Ko to not accompany her any longer whenever she left the premises. I'm sure of it.

Rubbing his temples gingerly, the Hyuuga leader breathed deeply; mind willing itself to return to its previous 'serene' state. He readily adjusted his posture upon his seat, having been in a position through which it would seem that he was about to leap onto his feet.

_Maybe I'm being unreasonable. Hinata **is** a grown woman now... she has become a very capable and successful jounin._

The clan head felt his chest swell with pride at the thought, as he recalled the female's various commendable achievements; sole results of her hard-work and dedication to her training…

... all in the hope that she would receive **due** acknowledgment in return... from her family.

"..."

Hiashi's heart suddenly constricted as he thought about the lack of justice that he had thrown her way, throughout her growing years.

_I have been a fool… oh yes, a big one._

The recurring guilt of not keeping tabs upon his kind-hearted and innocent daughter tugged at him, literally 'pulling' at his practical mind from the inside... as he remained seated.

_She **has** proven herself as a deserving heiress but… that still doesn't give her the…_ he felt himself rub his temples again… _privilege to break curfew rules!_

Deciding to have a brief talk with the 'ever-reliable' son of his late brother, Hiashi ordered an aide to fetch his nephew from wherever he currently was.

_Neji… he will definitely know what the state of affairs is between my daughter and… him._

Suspicion against the lilac-eyed woman's 'friend' formed in his mind faster than he could have previously comprehended… and it surprised him.

Thinking about the brash and 'unruly' Inuzuka heir also made him cringe… and in a bad way too.

_I wonder… are those two…?_

Eyes widening, the man got onto his feet and rushed towards a certain drawer to check up on the files related to his daughter's team and their older missions as a squad. _What if?_

His internal debate continued as he felt around the space for his intended target.

_Where **is** it?!_

Having an unusually frantic aura about made Hiashi feel like a frog trapped within a gorge, unable to escape immediately yet not the type to give up on his efforts… no matter how time-consuming they may be.

_Ah! Found it…!_

Gazing at the old document carefully before blowing the dust from its surface completely, he seated himself once more and scanned its contents… thoroughly.

Things that narrated details... of all the assignments, missions, tasks etc. that the 'former' Team Kurenai had been given for the specific 3 or so years before the last war... present in front of his sharp eyes.

_Hmm… so they, along with the Aburame, have been 'consistently' involved with each other on all of their previous assignments._

Satisfied with his progress, he partially shut the important piece of his daughter's history as a shinobi, letting out the breath that he did not know he had been holding.

_Interesting..._

Having found a viable clue to back up his presumptuous claim, along with possessing knowledge related to the various visits paid by the brown-haired male to the estates, to insinuate a presence of something more than just 'mere friendship' between his daughter and him, the man smirked to himself… _Neji had better have satisfactory answers to all my questions._

His gaze turned towards the door, inner voice silently praying that his nephew would hasten with his arrival.

Hiashi Hyuuga, obviously enough, felt an uncharacteristic irritation grow within himself at the very thought of the unkempt dog-nin 'courting' his prestigious daughter.

_Does he actually believe that he is capable of standing in the same **plane** as a Hyuuga heir?_ he wondered, anger rising to a dangerous level before he somehow cooled himself down.

_My precious daughter… with someone of that… _The man lost his cool at that point yet again, albeit only briefly.

_No status, no social position **or** viable class. Pathetic._

Closing his eyes, his head resting comfortably against the head of his chair, the clan leader felt miserable at the very notion of his child 'seeing' someone such as him. _(Sigh) And here I thought that my eldest daughter didn't possess the mental capacity **or** level of intelligence of being able to keep secrets from me._

Placing his head in his left hand momentarily at the thought, Hiashi silently closed the file and, placing it back inside the drawer from where he had retrieved it, exited the morose environment of the gloomy room that he called his study…

… his 'growing' mental unrest eating away at him more and more as he took each new step.

_Spending an **entire** night out of the estates. Hmph! Hinata had better have some decent explanations to offer me..._

Glancing out of the window to his side as he walked down the empty hallway, he sighed again…

_… once she gets back that is._

Folding his hands behind him, Hiashi waited for his nephew to appear in his presence… indifferent mask in place upon his stern face.

_Who knew that Hinata would… give me such unwarranted trouble, being the obedient girl that she has always been._

* * *

><p><strong>As the former member of the 'disbanded' Team Guy made his way over…<strong>

Mind curious as to why his uncle had summoned him out of the blue, Neji remained impassive about the whole scenario, seeing as he was nearly at the required location anyway.

_Hiashi-sama has never called me in the middle of the day like this before... I wonder what's the matter?_

Frowning at the 'unwelcome' feeling of confusion that took birth within his heart, the byakugan-wielder hastened his steps as the large structures of the Hyuuga estate came into his line of vision.

_Could it… possibly have something to do with Hinata-sama?_

* * *

><p><strong>Back in the Hyuuga main family building<strong>

Tapping his forefinger impatiently upon his palm, his hands still held behind his fine back as his cold gaze scanned the horizon ahead of him, Hiashi felt is nephews presence as he entered the main grounds.

_It's about time._

* * *

><p><strong>A few short minutes later...<strong>

"Hiashi-sama," the youth began in a well-composed tone, keeping in mind his position in front of the senior shinobi.

Softening his features at the sound of the jounin male's voice, Hiashi, without turning around, beckoned him over with a raised left hand; eyes still holding onto their pensive look. _Finally..._

"..."

Walking towards the older man with 'silence' being his current garb of choice, Neji stood a mere three feet behind him before speaking once more, "You… summoned me?"

Turning around at last to meet a similar pair of pale orbs connected with his, the Hyuuga leader spoke, his voice containing just a hint of underlying curiosity, "I called you here…"

He briefly observed the younger man's body language to his admittance…

... finding it to his apparent liking, he continued, "… to ask you about the reason for my daughters 'disappearance' since the previous evening." _I expect your answer to be of a satisfactory nature... Neji._

"!"

Shocked way beyond humane belief at the older man's calm words, Neji, in his panicked state spoke out in a higher tone than before; possibly breaking his own record while he was at it, "N-NANI?! H-Hinata-sama has gone missing?! But…"

A raised hand stopped him and his verbal concerns.

_Uh…_

Practicing nearly all of the patience in the world, Hiashi clarified himself, "There is... no need to put on an unnecessary display of panic right now Neji."

Said man turned slightly pink as he hung his head, cursing his lack of sufficient control over his emotions. _I-I guess I **did** get too carried away there._

Clearing his throat, the older man proceeded, "I merely said that she has 'yet to appear' on the premises... since no one had seen her enter the grounds at all yesterday."

He waited for his nephew to nod before continuing.

"It would thus seem that she found a temporary 'dwelling' other than her bedroom for the previous night."

"..."

Blinking rapidly at the man's wondrous deduction, Neji couldn't help but question his theory, "But how… how did figure that out Hiashi-sama?" _Did I miss something or is he **completely** calm about this?_

Smirking at him for no longer than a fleeting second, the older male explained, "If she **had** been abducted or… had crossed the village boundaries, the guards at the main gate would have informed me at the earliest."

Hiashi let his amused expression dissipate soon after; lips forming a thin line, "No, she is still somewhere in Konoha." _I'm sure of it._

Mentally slapping himself for overlooking such an obvious prospect, Neji remained quiet for a moment before voicing his next doubts, "So then… what is it that are asking of me Hiashi-sama?" _Does he want me to… conduct a search? _He, nevertheless, kept mum; not wanting to immediately part with his suggestion.

Waving him off, the clan leader spoke in a more serious tone, "What I require from you Neji… are a few simple answers to my questions."

Raising an eyebrow at the way the jounin's shoulders tensed for a second before relaxing again, he ploughed on, "That is, if you feel upto it." _He definitely knows something. I'll have to proceed with caution lest he… lies to me through his answers._

_Q-Questions? What could he **possibly** want to know from me?_

The prodigy, undoubtedly, began to mentally panic in his vulnerable situation. _Wait…_

Suddenly aware of just **what** his uncle was going to ask of him, Neji felt his heart momentarily stop as his throat ran itself dry... _Kami… this might take a while._

* * *

><p>Squinting his eyes ever so slightly, Hiashi proceeded with his interrogation... starting by running a quick 'test' upon his nephew's memory bank.<p>

"First tell me this… have you, in recent days or weeks, been in close contact with Hinata?" _Lets see what he has to offer,_ the man thought, not against exercising his power over the younger man in front of him.

"Um… well, I **had** come across her a few days back Hiashi-sama."

Looking away from the taller man's gaze to gather his thoughts properly, he continued, "She was with Kiba, her former teammate, when I met her that day."

Waiting with bated breath whilst successfully maintaining a calm exterior, Neji practiced momentary patience as the Hyuuga leader spoke out his response.

"Hmm… do you have any idea as to what they were doing at that point of time?"

Lowering his gaze to the wooden floor for a brief moment before replying, the youth answered, "Well, I'm not too certain about it but… they seemed to have been in each others company for quite some time."

Hiashi's skeptical frown made him clarify his claim further.

"Atleast, that's what I gathered when I 'met' them Hiashi-sama." _Why does he suddenly want to know about all of this?_

"..."

Closing his eyes with a silent sigh escaping his pursed lips, Hiashi turned around once more; back facing the uncomfortable young male as he spoke, "Alright. That will be all Neji."

Once sure that his nephew was about to take his leave, he added, "I thank you for your cooperation… good luck with your training." _That should do it… he probably doesn't know anything beyond that I suppose._

Now utterly bemused with the way things were playing out in between the two of them, Neji simply nodded in response; in spite of knowing that the older man couldn't see it. _Phew, he can really 'sponge out' answers from almost anybody when he wants to…_

"Uh… hai. Please excuse me Hiashi-sama."

With that said, the jounin made his hasty exit from the Hyuuga estate's premises, going past the open gate and towards his next destination... hoping to catch up with Tenten soon.

_Anything to get this confusion out of my system,_ he grumbled to himself with a small frown of unease. _Why did he want to know about his eldest daughter's private life anyway? It's not like he shouldn't or doesn't need to but… why **now**?_

Leaping over an oncoming gorge as his strides became faster than before, he thought further, _He 'could' ask her himself. They have been on far better terms since the last few years anyway._

His silhouette rapidly disappeared over the next hedge as he found the correct path to follow... via his extraordinary optical abilities and headed over to meet up with his female partner.

_I hope she wasn't **too** bothered with my abrupt disappearance._

His frown deepened over his eyes as he thought about the situation involving his shy and vulnerable cousin. _I wonder if Hinata-sama… is in some sort of trouble…_

Smirking to himself soon after, he felt an unusual calm settle over his heart as he thought that... _Hmph, with **that** uncivilized hooligan by her side, I'm certain that she will prevail regardless._

* * *

><p><strong>Somewhere in another part of the village<strong>

"Hayaku Kiba-kun…!" her soft voice called back at him, urgency shining through.

Scurrying after his girlfriend, the dog-nin raised an eyebrow at her surprisingly hasty attitude, "Ya know Hina… we don't **really** need to get our feet on fire here, your place is only a few blocks away."_ I know that she's still scared of the old geezer even now but come on!_

Blushing at his frank words, Hinata slowed down her panicked steps and let him appear beside her.

"I-I'm sorry Kiba-kun but… I don't know how otousan will react to me…" Her pale eyes glanced down at her sandals once more, face reddening steadily, "… staying out f-for the entire night **without** informing him about it."_ Not ignoring the fact that I… slept with someone while I was at it!_

The woman herself knew, in her heart of hearts, that her latter concern was just a… façade to keep her 'mask of worry' still in it's place.

Wrapping an easy arm around her shivering shoulders, Kiba gave his angel a gentle squeeze... watching how her fearful orbs connected with his; him smiling in return.

"Don't worry Hinata…"

He held her chin with his forefinger as she smiled shyly.

"… you got little ol' me by your side right? We're the best team in the whole village."

The Inuzuka stooped slightly to meet her beautiful eyes, his own smiling lovingly at them the entire time as she blushed at the 'more-than-welcome' closeness provided by him.

"I'm here… okay?"

He moved in to claim her soft lips with his own as she sighed in his embrace, fingers clutching at the back of his shoulders as he pulled her even closer.

"Kiba-kun…" _I-I'm so lucky. He gives me courage even when he knows that he's **much** more scared than I am! Hmm… hmm!_

Releasing her with a grin, Kiba noted how her eyes and lips summarized the smile that had formed across her face... turning it one that easily made his day worth going through.

_Man, am I lucky or what? (Sigh) Now to face her old man… I gotta man up to this obstacle now… yosh._

"Don't worry hime. We'll both talk to him and…"

Her eyes widened slightly as he smirked her way. "… he **will** agree to the both of us dating each other! That's my guarantee to you!"

Suddenly afraid of what her energetic and 'impulsive' boyfriend might get upto, Hinata raised her fist over her mouth and stated her inner fears to him, "A-Alright Kiba-kun but…"

He met her lilac orbs as she placed her small hands over his chest, seeking reassurance from his addictive warmth.

"… d-don't lose your temper or composure in front of my father." Her tone turned a tad bit desperate as their eyes locked onto the others.

"Please?"

"..."

Running his right hand down her fine, silky locks, he nodded quietly, "You got it. **No** anger management issues Hina." _Man… I just **can't** say 'no' to her can I?_

Giggling back at him softly, the woman silently reached for his other hand and, smiling up at his bemused expression in regards to her 'assertive' action, tugged him along to their destination.

_I… must be brave now…_

"O-Oi, easy there Hinata… I'm coming too ya know!"

_… for the both of us._

She complied with his request as he suddenly hugged her from behind, nose buried in her hair as he chuckled good-naturedly... making her blush at his playful actions.

"Let's put some road behind us hime… it's no good to be keeping your dad waiting, hm?"

Gasping at his words, the heiress couldn't help but shake her head after he simply waved off her concerns… again.

"I **seriously** can't wait to see the look on his face, when he finds out that someone stole his precious daughter away from him! Hehe!" _It'll definitely be worth it!_

She had to reprimand him, albeit gently, for his swelling ego by then... "Kiba-kun you're so mean!"

_Baka_, the female smiled secretly to herself, heart feeling warm all of a sudden at his 'unshakable' belief in their love.

Giving her a toothy grin, Kiba firmly clasped his hand over hers and whispered to her adorable frown; face close to her own as he did so, "I love you too Hina-chan."

_Baka,_ she added once more, inwardly giggling at his new 'nick-name'.

* * *

><p><strong>Some minutes later, as the couple found themselves only a short distance from the estates...<strong>

Hinata's gaze reached his kind one as she placed her head upon his shoulder; eyes shut as he whispered words of comfort into her ear as they walked on…

... both simply enjoying the bliss of being in such close quarters with one another, undisturbed.

The woman nuzzled her boyfriend's deep chest, sighing against it as he held her close.

"I-I'll do my best Kiba-kun." _I most certainly will… because…_

Her face presented its pink tinge for the entire world around them to see in that moment.

_… I love you._

Kissing her partially exposed temple Kiba only grinned, his confidence in the success of their task shining through… at 'full blast'.

"Me too... I won't let you down Hinata."

His eyes turned serious, as he felt his heart shut away all of it's fears as he spoke, voice reflecting his true emotions to his beloved.

"Please trust me this **one** time okay?"

"..."

Tightening her fingers tenderly around his, her chest growing more elated by the second at the looming salvation of their feelings for each other, Hinata whispered into the gentle morning breeze…

... her voice reaching his heart 'before' his ears became alert to the soft, melodious words.

"I always did Kiba-kun… always."

He merely smiled in return, eyes carrying over his 'message of love' over to her own.

_I knew you would say that… my angel._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: There ya go! Now how about some good ol' fashioned REVIEWS eh?<strong>

**Things are gearing up for a big finish and I'm over here losing sleep -.- (Not cool...)**

**Anyway, bye (for now) and thanks for reading!**

**Stay cool my dear peeps! \m/**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter XVI: What a father thinks…

**Disclaimer: This is a 'non-profit' fan-made piece of fiction… all the characters and elements present belong to Masashi Kishimoto and other related associates.**

**AN: 3600+ hits, AWESOME!**

**A heartfelt thanks to all those who have stuck with me so far… it really means a whole lot to someone like me.**

**Enjoy and witness the 'other side' of Hiashi while you're at it! XD**

* * *

><p><strong>Hyuuga grounds, main compound<strong>

Upon entering the grounds, Kiba felt his gut clench and his heart beat harder against his ribcage; girlfriend tightening her hold upon his hand, seeking reassurance as her own fears and doubts made their way to the surface.

_Damn, never thought that I'd be **this** worked up over something in my life._

"Kiba-kun…"

Her hesitant voice instantly brought him out of his thoughts.

Looking into Hinata's eyes, he felt his heart melt... giving her smaller fingers a tender squeeze in return before replying... "What is it Hina?" _Her voice manages to really calm my nerves down a whole lot though, Hehe._

Unable to hide her inner feelings from someone as tenacious as the dog-nin, the kunoichi stopped in her tracks and sighed… the former patiently waiting for her to voice out her thoughts, gaze never once leaving her own. _Before we… go in, I must tell him how I feel. I just have to… hmm._

Holding his hand with both of her own whilst turning around to face him completely, Hinata felt her words die in her throat…

... as his smoldering look made her heart flutter and knees tremble with hesitation. _O-Okay, here goes…_

"Ano… Kiba-kun…"

He complied graciously by sending a smile her way, grasping her alabaster hands within his as a move that signified encouragement. _She'd better speak up soon before I end up 'kissing' the whole of it outta her!_ he grinned to himself.

"I-I just wanted to say that…"

She glanced away for a small moment, trying to form a proper sentence with which she could 'best' explain herself to him.

_Just say it already!_ she inwardly berated herself in annoyance... obviously at her present lack of confidence; him keeping his eyes fixed upon her face throughout.

"..."

_She looks damn cute when she's trying real hard to say something,_ Kiba inwardly grinned. _Too bad I noticed that fact **this** late (Sigh)..._

"… that whatever happens in… there…" the woman looked in the direction of the entranceway to the 'main family' building as a sigh escaped her, "… I will still love and want to be with you …"

Lilac eyes met dark brown once more, this time with a fierce determination shining in them as a certain Inuzuka's mouth parted slightly in surprise.

"… and no one else."

"..."

Understanding what his angel was trying to tell him, Kiba gave her a soft smile as his hands landed on her shoulders, giving them a gentle squeeze. _Man, she's never been this focused on any one thing before…_

The Hyuuga heiress returned his look of warmth with a small grin.

_I can't disappoint her... no way._

"Ya know something Hina…"

Said female looked up at him with increased curiosity, him grinning broadly at her adorable features, "… I…"

He lowered his lips towards hers, touching them tenderly as the blushing warmth of her cheeks reached his own face... "… feel the same about you... have since the very start to be honest."

The relieved look in her 'once worried' orbs made him grin outright then, _Better elaborate this for her, Hehe._

Cupping her cheeks and kissing her more forcefully, earning a satisfied moan from her throat, the Inuzuka whispered... once he had released her soft tongue from his hold, "Trust me hime… this will end well for us. If not…"

Pale eyes fluttered open in surprise, more so at the tone that he had used than his words; their owner searching his dark orbs for further answers. _H-He doesn't mean…?_

Frowning by a considerable amount yet still holding onto the tenderness in his gaze, Kiba said, "… then I swear Hinata… I'm gonna, personally, go up against anyone who stands in our way…"

Animalistic ferocity arose in his brown eyes as he rasped out his next few words to her, "… and it **isn't** going to be pretty."

_You can bet on that one!_ he inwardly added, primal feelings of sheer 'possessiveness' over his beautiful mate growing harder to contain for him by the second as he swallowed his follow-up growl with difficulty.

* * *

><p>"..."<p>

Not missing the feral resolve in his deep voice, that actually made her believe each and every word that left his lips, Hinata smiled at the intense emotions that the man felt towards her; heart fluttering faster and being filled to the brim with choked up love for him as he calmed himself down in front of her.

_No one has been so… possessive over me before. No one._

Stroking the tattoo that resided upon his left cheek with a smile, as he reached up to grasp her pale hand, the heiress giggled for a moment before burying herself in his embrace; light chuckles tickling her hair as his mood lightened up almost instantly.

"Did I scare you for a minute there Hinata?" Kiba inquired in an amused tone, nuzzling her left cheek lovingly as she turned red and tried to resist his advances half-heartedly. _I can't **really** blame her for feeling afraid of a big thug like me anyway, Ha-ha!_

Cuddling into his chest as he placed a kiss on the top of her head, Hinata smiled out her reply to his query, "Mmm-hm! No you didn't… not even for a moment." _Hmm… hmm! I'm really starting to love teasing him now._

Raising an eyebrow at her candid admittance, Kiba hugged her tighter as she sighed in his hold.

"Well, I guess that's cool too then…" he whispered back.

Laughing along with him as he claimed her lips again soon afterwards, Hinata held onto his hand firmly; her steps toward their destination following his own 'without' complaint.

_No matter what happens in there…_

He passed a look of sheer confidence her way, making her cheeks turn a bit pink at the act.

_... I will **still** have him with me… always._

It didn't come as a surprise to the female then, when the dog-nin whispered out his commitment into her right ear one more time, most likely as a last form of assurance for her unsure heart; making her eyes moisten at the end of it.

_Yes, I'm sure of it._

Deciding on being as brave and optimistic as her brown-haired partner, the Hyuuga reached out to push open the large door that separated them from the place of 'judgment'. A place that would be under the strict jurisdiction... of her very own father.

_I'm coming otousan… please accept Kiba… for me._ The woman raised her fist towards her chest, turning towards a waiting aide and requesting for him to inform the clan head of her arrival.

_**Don't** make me have to choose him over you._

Hinata, in spite of being a loyal daughter and responsible member of her prestigious clan, wasn't willing to think 'twice' if things turned out badly between her parent and lover during their confrontation within the four walls of her family home.

_It certainly won't come down to that… hopefully._

The 'unusually silent' Inuzuka meanwhile, quietly followed his love after the aide had returned, the latter bowing low before gesturing for them to head into her father's private study for their meeting.

_Now **that's** what I call prompt service!_

Beads of sweat suddenly forming along his forehead as he tried his level best to calm his agitated nerves, at the 'very least' for the sake of the woman whose fingers were interlocked with his right then, Kiba mentally prepared himself…

_Phew, this is it big guy, time to show that overbearing blowhard what you're **really** made of. Yeah!_

Gaze falling upon Hinata, he noticed how she did not respond to his visual contact; look of inner determination and focus unmoving from her delicate features. The latter successfully him smile with a hint of 'pride' at her growth, which was showing itself proudly in the midst of their current predicament.

_Boy, maybe I won't even **need** to talk a whole lot while we're in there after all,_ he chuckled, inwardly eager to have a go at the clan head himself.

* * *

><p><strong>Inside the study of the 'clan leader' and familial head…<strong>

Feeling relieved at the wonderful news that his eldest had returned at last, Hiashi immediately ordered for the aide to bring her to him; hands clasped behind his back as he kept his hawk-like gaze fixed upon the vast expanse of houses and trees that littered the landscape of the village of his birth.

_It's about time she made her return. She most definitely has some answering to look forward to._

On that note, the man waited patiently for his daughter to make her way over to him... mind trying to 'formulate' the various questions that he would be placing in front of her.

_Hinata, I do hope you knew what you were doing… when you had decided to completely ignore the clan rule involving curfew hours._

"..."_  
><em>

Knocking on the rosewood door as her breath escaped her in short bursts of nervousness, Hinata felt Kiba place his warm hand on her right shoulder, urging kindly for her to proceed.

_(Sigh) I'm so glad that he's here with me…_

Her inner relief was, once again, extinguished by the composed sound of her father's voice; calm tone present in it penetrating the deepest recesses of her heart and mind as her shoulders shivered for a brief second in response...

… as had been her habit since childhood.

"Come in."

Recognizing the instruction as the first and last signal for the both of them to enter into the Hyuuga leader's personal domain, the heiress sucked in a gulp of fresh air before turning the knob with her wrist; fingers trembling momentarily as she did so.

_Here I come otousan…_

"..."

_Here we go,_ Kiba muttered under his breath, hoping that the sound would not carry itself all the way across to the sharp hearing of the older man standing mere 'feet' ahead of them, on the opposite side of the spacious room.

* * *

><p><strong>Once they were inside… and facing the back of the older shinobi<strong>

Frowning at the fact that his firstborn had not appeared in front of him alone... having the unabashed 'audacity' to bring her good-for-nothing teammate along with her, Hiashi nevertheless controlled his innate displeasure and turned around to make contact with his daughter's pale eyes.

The man, however, resisted rubbing his temples once he found the unkempt dog-nin grinning uneasily by her side... obviously trying to 'ease himself' into the tense environment.

_(Sigh) I was right, he hardly possesses any of the basic etiquettes required to be courting my daughter,_ he grumbled to himself, feeling just like all men do when forced to ingest a 'disgustingly' bad food item.

His eyes flickered over to the nervous young woman standing beside the tattooed youth... who was trying 'considerably hard' to stop her body from trembling in his domineering presence.

_Now how can I make someone like **her** understand my point of view?_

"A-Ano…"

Her voice grabbed his attention from the depths of his thought processes.

He met her eyes silently once again as she bowed respectfully in front of him, before continuing with her prior statement; him nodding his head in curt acceptance.

"… o-otousan. I need to t-tell you something… something very important." Ohhh… this is harder than I thought. I do hope that I don't simply pass out due to fear!

"...?"

A hand on the small of her back by her optimistic boyfriend egged her on however.

"It involves…" her head turned towards Kiba's positive smile, one that easily made all of the fears present within her dissipate in haste, "… the both of us."

"..."

Adopting a pensive look about him, Hiashi 'pierced' his eldest child's gaze with his own before indifferently requesting for her to continue.

"Hmm… I see."

He met the Inuzuka male's gaze for a tiny moment before finishing in a patient tone, "Proceed with your statement."

_Man, is he **cold** or what?_ Kiba inwardly mused, trying to gently rub encouraging circles along his mate's back without being caught by the 'ever-attentive' eyes of the older Hyuuga. _C'mon Hinata… tell him about what you want. Tell him... about us._

Gathering up every shred of inner courage that she possessed, Hinata Hyuuga met her father's stern look and voiced out her hearts desire... "Otousan…"

He remained unshakable.

"... what I… w-want to tell you may be considered unacceptable for me… in your eyes."

The woman suddenly felt an inner tranquility, having her love's hand giving her back an encouraging 'push' every few seconds as she struggled to form mere words; tongue making her verbal progress fail and stumble multiple times. (Sigh) What would I do be doing without him here… beside me.

"But it is also something that I desire… f-from the bottom of my heart."

"..."

Hiashi merely raised an interested eyebrow at her confession, already knowing what she was asking of him but wanting to hear her say it herself… to his face. _She really **has** grown… both inside and out._

Clenching her hands into fists by her side, Hinata raised her head… higher than it had ever been raised and told her father about her heartfelt decision, "I want to have the right to…"

Her cheeks 'flared up' as she spoke but she ignored the distraction, refusing to let her courage slip away from her grasp in the heat of the moment.

"… to…"

"..."

Kiba halted his right hand''s movements as he felt a change in the air surrounding them all. _Sh-She's… actually gonna say it! Wow Hinata… you really are something._

It was simply a case of her mind needing that one, final push… her father successfully fulfilling the role of being the one to provide her with exactly that.

_I suppose this is my cue then…_

"Speak up Hinata!" he barked, only raising his voice by a mere fraction yet making it sound as demanding as possible.

"I want to date Kiba…!"

"..."

Slapping her hands over her shocked mouth… the unpleasant realization of her, blurting out her feelings in one go hitting her at full force, Hinata stumbled slightly... feeling 'more-than-ready' to pass out right then and there due to the overheating of her internal system.

_W-What have I done…? Idiot._ She innately cursed herself for falling prey (once again) to her timid nature…

... when…

The sound of light… 'chuckles' filling the entirety of the closed room, forced the kunoichi to glance in the direction of her lover; thinking it to be him that was doing it… even though he silently denied it with his eyes; gaze falling onto the only 'other' person in the room with them.

_N-Nani?_

* * *

><p>Unable to stifle his amusement at the nervous woman's antics and panicking tendencies, Hiashi Hyuuga was certainly an honest man whenever it came to… 'displaying' any and all forms of emotion.<p>

_Great Kami, this girl will be the death of me someday…_

"...?" _Is he… actually having a laugh about this?_ Kiba wondered, thunderstruck and unable to form words due to his brain having shut itself off temporarily.

Making his way towards the shell-shocked couple, the man stopped in front of them and held his arms out in his firstborn's direction; eyes holding an uncharacteristically **warm** look in them as he gave the astonished woman a rare smile.

_At last… I can embrace my grown-up daughter._

"..."_  
><em>

Unsure on what to make of the way things were playing out around them, the dog-nin thought it best to not interfere... seeing as he was the sole witness to the occurrence of a 'next-to-impossible' event right then.

_Wow!_ he inwardly exclaimed, befuddled mind unable to comprehend the exact reason for the change in the usually off-putting man's attitude.

_What **next** old man?_

* * *

><p><strong>With his stunned and unmoving partner...<strong>

Frozen in her spot as the man, who she referred to as her father, silently beckoned her over into his open embrace... the lilac-eyed female felt an emotional 'whimper' escape her voice box…

"O-Otousan?" she nearly croaked, obviously too 'shaken' to even be able to speak clearly by then. _I-Is he asking m-me to…?_

Giving his oldest child a small smile and adopting a fake frown, Hiashi voiced out his 'playful' displeasure at her inability to respond quickly enough to his approach, "(Sigh) I did not expect such lethargy from someone like you Hina-"

"!"

The Hyuuga leaders eyes got momentarily distracted by the strange look that passed by her face… before…

Furiously glomping her parent, the sobbing female 'drenched' the front of his robe with her tears; droplets cascading down her cheeks like a gushing torrent of pent-up emotions as her face remained buried in his chest… _Otousan!_

Returning her 'desperation-filled' embrace of affection with a satisfactory hug of his own, regardless of the fact that they were in the presence of an outsider in their moment of privacy, Hiashi whispered words of understanding and comfort into the ear of the distraught girl in his hold…

… feeling a stray droplet of emotion form in the corner of his own eye.

"Shhh…" he told her, feeling her tremble and shiver 'uncontrollably' within his arms as she cried harder than before.

"Otousan…!" Hinata sniffed out, blinded by her tears whilst in his hold.

"It's alright… don't cry my child." _(Sigh!) this should have occurred years ago..._

His eyes gazed towards the wooden ceiling for a moment as he gathered his volatile thoughts and emotions together… trying, and failing, to compose his own voice.

_… what a blind fool I was… really._

"O-Otousan… otousan…!" Hinata sobbed even harder, cheeks flushed pink and eyes beginning to 'sting' due to her never-ending tears. _I-I'm so happy… so happy…_

Her wails seemed to never find an end… and yet, her father's calm words somehow managed to help her regain her sense of self. A self that she had temporarily lost during the time that her heart had unleashed it's innate joy and delight…

… at having been 'accepted' by the stern man... who was currently holding her fast in his protective embrace.

_I-I can't believe it. Is this a dream? Oh Kami-sama..._

"..."_  
><em>

Finally getting a hold of her emotions, Hinata pulled her face out of the 'surprisingly' comforting warmth of her parents hold… looking up and into his eyes whilst being shocked yet again at the unrelenting kindness that was to be found there, something that she had previously received only from her late mother as a child.

"O-Otousan..." she whispered, tear stains visible all along her pale cheeks.

"Are you going to keep saying that for the remainder of the day?" Hiashi questioned, succeeding in hiding his smirk from her.

"...!"

Blushing furiously at her father's 'unlikely' sense of humour, the indigo-haired maiden shook her head with an uneasy giggle emanating from her throat... feeling a great pain in her chest, which had always been present within since her mother's passing away loosen up...

... and steadily evaporate into nothingness. _Otousan… he really…_

Placing his hands upon the kunoichi's shoulders before keeping her at arms length so that he could get a glimpse of her tear-streaked face, Hiashi curved the corners of his mouth slightly upwards at the sight of her pink cheeks... finding the urge to pinch them emanate in his heart for a brief moment.

"My precious daughter."

His affectionate words made the weeping female wipe away the remaining traces of her joyous grief as she smiled back at him… wanting to tell the entire world right then that her father, the strict and stern clan head who was known by all in the village, had **finally** accepted her and expressed his parenthood of her whole-heartedly.

_I-I'm so very happy right now…! (Sigh) Today couldn't have gotten any better,_ she smiled wide at the older Hyuuga._ Thank you Kami-sama… thank you..._

Removing his gaze from the recovering female, Hiashi glanced in the direction of the 'still frozen' Inuzuka male, raising an eyebrow in interest.

"..." _Hmph, he seems to be even more astonished than her._

_Seems that he had underestimated the heart of a father just like everyone else,_ his lips threatened to let out another smirk as Kiba's face retained it's flabbergasted expression._ The unfortunate lad._

It was right then that the Hyuuga leader decided to address the unmoving young Inuzuka openly...

... and man-to-man.

* * *

><p><strong>With an apparently worried jounin, elsewhere in the village of Konoha<strong>

Seated on a solitary log, his arms resting upon his knees, Neji Hyuuga was currently suffering from issues related to anxiety and deep internal unrest.

_Maybe I should have… no, that would have been foolish,_ he debated with himself, trying to ignore the urge to get up and make his way back to the Hyuuga manor just so that he could make sure his… 'delicate' and naïve cousin wouldn't have to be at the receiving end of his uncle's fury and displeasure…

… but constantly deciding against it in the end for some reason or another.

_This is **really** making me lose my inner calm,_ he sighed, head hung low for a brief moment as he let his vision be covered by his closed eyelids.

Such was his state of internal 'turmoil' that he failed to notice the presence of his weapon-wielding girlfriend to his right, her making herself comfortable on the very same piece of wood that he was seated on.

_Tenten?_

Smiling, pretty much openly, at the obvious worry and concern present on his noble facial features, the brunette wrapped her arms around his shoulders, scooting closer to him as he sighed gratefully at the intimate touch.

_She's always known when something's been on my mind,_ Neji couldn't help but smirk to himself at that. _That might also be one of the 'many' things about her that leave me in awe._

"..."

Looking at his face and then glancing towards his eyes, Tenten proceeded to ask him as to what had been plaguing his mind... ever since he made his return some minutes back. _I've only seen him **this** worked up if it's something involving… wait,_ her brown eyes widened in realization, _Of course!_

Recovering successfully from her minor distraction, the young woman smiled kindly at her worried boyfriend.

"You know, you **can** tell me if there's something off…" she waited for him to raise a fine eyebrow in her direction as a response before continuing, "… between you and Hiashi-san."

Visibly shocked, Neji inquired in a surprised tone, "How did…"

He cleared his throat, "How did you know that it concerned him Tenten?" _I don't recall telling her about where I had gone earlier._

Shaking her head at the fact that he, like so many of the people around them, had 'underestimated' her abilities of perception… the weapon's mistress poked his pale cheek playfully with her left hand; him frowning and 'gently' smacking it away with his right.

_Feisty as usual I see,_ she giggled inwardly at his adorable reaction.

"I figured that there was only **one** place that fell in the direction that you had headed in Neji…"

She waved her other finger in front of his face, in the manner of a well-informed tutor; eyes closed in understanding as he gave her his rapt attention.

"… and that was your own house, hmm… hmm!"

Coming to terms with the impressive sense of 'awareness' that the female possessed, Neji merely smirked right back and sighed quietly, glancing out and above them at the clear, blue sky…

… not a single cloud to be seen for miles ahead and beyond as they sat there… motionless.

"..." _It is so calm and… peaceful when she's around me. Hmph, I might even become fond of her company if I'm not careful._

"**Now** will you tell me what's been eating away at you big boy?" Tenten interrupted his train of thought.

Glaring half-heartedly her way once she had stopped snickering at his new 'pet-name' as she called it, the Hyuuga male complied by sharing with her the entirety of the events that had occurred between him and the older Hyuuga.

_Not that she would tell anyone else about such private matters anyway,_ he inwardly reasoned, applying 'adequate' pressure on any negative ideas that spawned in his head.

* * *

><p><strong>A few minutes later...<strong>

Letting out a surprised whistle at his admittance, Tenten found herself acting with a more acute form of sympathy towards her stoic boyfriend... giving him a brief hug as he readily accepted her attempt at providing him with a silent sense of comfort.

"You know…" she began in a soft voice.

He met her chocolate eyes, easily being able to see his alabaster face within the glassy pupils that she possessed. _I hardly noticed them before… but now…_

"What?" he managed to say in reply, dismissing his previous observation for a later... more 'convenient' time.

Tenten merely smiled and plucked up a yellow flower that was placed near to where she had been seated, spinning the stem in between her thumb and forefinger with a 'faraway' look in her eyes.

"Hinata is… really strong."

Not expecting her statement to end so abruptly, the man raised an eyebrow once more in curiosity... wanting for her to elaborate her claim further. _She obviously means more by what she says… always._

Remembering the way they had discovered certain... inner feelings of 'romanticism' for each other some weeks ago, he felt his eyes smile towards her for a passing second.

_I learned **that** the hard way,_ his hand subconsciously reached up to cup his cheek at the thought as she continued…

... oblivious to the fact that the Hyuuga was reminiscing about the slap she had 'rewarded' him with some weeks prior.

"What I mean is…" she ploughed on, "… that your cousin will have to face this sorta situation sooner rather than later." _Perhaps sooner if my deduction is right,_ she mentally added.

The brunette glanced away from him for a moment, trying to find a way to add some validity to her statement.

"Every girl has gotta pass this sorta stage anyway." _Hopefully he'll be able to relate to this one._

"..."

Nodding his head at her valid reasoning, Neji got up and off his perch; her widening her eyes slightly at his abrupt action._ W-Where's he going?_

"Thank you… Tenten."

"?!"

_Now I **know** that he's losing his mind. What's he thanking me for?_ she wondered, whilst accepting his offered hand as he helped her to her feet.

Scratching his cheek and looking away from her contemplative gaze, the man suggested, "Why don't we go and… have some lunch. It **is** past noon already you know…" _Why do I always feel hunger arise within me when I'm around her? Strange._

Shaking her head free of her previous doubts, Tenten immediately grabbed his right elbow and dragged her hapless date towards one of her favourite restaurants... whilst ignoring his mild protests at her haste.

_Wow, who knew that helping him with his personal problems would end up with me being treated to a lunch date, hmm… hmm!_

Her brown eyes met his briefly, her cheeks burning hotly under his tender gaze… which was more of a rare 'treat', coming from someone like him. _I guess I shouldn't be complaining about it too much huh?_

The love struck woman within her giggled with excitement at the very thought of sharing another 'lovely' afternoon with her ice-cube of a boyfriend.

"I feel much better now Tenten," he spoke after a good while, making her raise her head to meet his pleasant expression once again.

"Y-You're welcome."

She felt her cheeks redden as he pecked one of them hurriedly; own blush making his face heat up.

"Now…" she said with authority lacing her words, "… hurry up slowpoke or all the nice restaurants will shut down for the day!"

"That soon?" Neji gave her an unimpressed smirk as she pouted back before pulling him along; him not minding her lack of patience in the least.

_As long as…_

His mind wandered towards his cousin's predicament once more, this time feeling more relaxed as he recalled a certain… 'facet' that he had previously overlooked in his worried haze.

_… **he's** there with her, I can nullify my worries within myself for good. Who knew that someone like him would prove to be so... useful._

With his heart and mind at ease, the prodigy let himself be dragged all the way to his partner's favoured food joint... feelings of romanticism 'blooming' within his chest yet again due to her excited nature.

_Hmph, what in the world would I be doing without her..._

* * *

><p><strong>With Hiashi and Kiba<br>**

Halting his approach (barely a foot) in front of the younger man, the clan head began stating his queries to the former's face; voice cool and collected as he did so…

"So…" Hiashi's voice remained rock steady, eyes containing mild mischief at the condition of the youth in front of his gaze.

"I suppose that you want me to permit your… courting my eldest daughter, hmm?" _Let's hear what he has to say._

"..."

Swallowing the small lump in his suddenly dry throat, Kiba stood tall against the older man... carefully wording his reply, "That's right Hiashi-san… I…" His eyes fell upon his beaming angel as he felt his voice falter at the sheer joy present in her beautiful orbs.

_Okay, do this for **her** Kiba… yosh._

"Hmm?" the heiress's father inquired, secret smirk being 'well hidden' from the unaware couple as he relished in the feel of exercising a certain amount of power over his daughter's prospective suitor.

"… I want to have your permission to…" he stumbled yet again but refused to give into the pressure. _Just this one obstacle… just this **last** one Kiba. C'mon!_

"… to date Hinata."

"..."

"..." _Whoa, I said it!_ the Inuzuka inwardly rejoiced, _Man am I relieved I got **that** outta my mouth…!_

His internal celebration at having 'at last' expressed his desires to his girlfriend's parent had to be short-lived however…

"And… if I should choose to **refuse** your proposal?"

Hiashi face remained expressionless as he presented his query in a crystal clear form to the dog-nin. _Let's see how he handles **this** scenario,_ the man, who had garnered a commendable amount of wisdom over the course of his life, thought.

_My daughter's choice eh? He had better not disappoint me then._

"...?"_  
><em>

Thinking that he may have misheard the previous statement, the brunette's doubts were clarified further when his beloved spoke up in a shocked voice from behind the older man.

"Otousan! Please, I-I love-"

Hinata's protests were promptly silenced by a simple raised hand, courtesy of her strict father and his stature as compared to her.

"Do not interrupt us Hinata," Hiashi spoke with well-enacted authority in his voice, leaving no further room for future arguments from her end.

_Have patience my child, I'm only having your chosen suitor undergo a minor… test._

He inwardly smiled, feeling her resistance subside; heart being absolutely unable to say 'no' to his precious daughter, due to the fact that he had openly expressed his feelings for her only very recently.

Having his sharp eye fixated upon the brown-haired jounin throughout, the older Hyuuga observed the culmination of myriad emotions that played themselves out in the younger man's dark eyes…

… noticing how things like fear and despair 'flashed' across them... one after another. _Interesting…_

Being the ones ranging from helplessness and utter disbelief… all the way to rebellious adamancy, Hiashi was certain that if he did not improve the situation, he might be forced to engage in a… 'physical' confrontation with the love struck Inuzuka male.

_I… **suppose** that I can provide him with a certain degree of leniency here._

Placing his hand onto the tense youth's shoulder, the senior jounin spoke in a calm tone, "Put yourself at ease…"

Kiba simply met his gaze in befuddled confusion.

"I was merely letting you undergo a 'test'... to judge whether you sincerely cared for my precious child or not."

"...!"

Completely flabbergasted at the way the older man's brain functioned, the dog-nin held his tongue back lest he swore outright in his face; cause for his doing so being his **own** burgeoning frustration... _Damn him and his mind games!_ he inwardly roared out; raging heart calming itself down with relief 'pouring' into it like the purest of spring water.

His gaze soon fell upon his equally relaxed girlfriend, her 'ever-present' blush making him grin widely her way; orbs relaying her heart's positive emotions all the way over to his own.

_Well, I **guess** I can cut the old fart some slack… if only for now,_ he chuckled.

"Don't worry Hiashi-san," the jounin spoke, facing the father of the one who held his heart. "I love your daughter more than I do myself."

"..." _Well, well..._

A flicker of a smirk on the Hyuuga leader's face made Kiba continue with even more confidence flowing through his words.

"There's not gonna be any need to worry about **how** I would treat her because…"

His eyes shifted towards Hinata once more, making her smile back with glee adorning her cute, round face; hands clasped near her chest as she failed to keep her joyful grin to herself.

"… she means the world to me." _And even more than that,_ he couldn't help but mentally add.

Nodding curtly at his brave admittance, Hiashi turned towards his silent firstborn and placed his right hand over and onto her head... smiling warmly at her surprised expression. _My child… it's astounding how you have grown in these past few years._

"Otousan…?"

Her sparkly eyes questioned his actions, almost in disbelief that he would change his attitude towards her so abruptly; in spite of having surprised her earlier by offering her a… 'hug'.

"You know…" he smiled at her, "... your mother would have been extremely proud of you had she been alive. You remind me so much of her." _Being blessed with her exact looks 'heightens' the feeling I suppose._

The older Hyuuga resisted letting the droplet, which was about to escape the corner of his left eye, 'fall' from its present position. _Amazing, I let the practicality relating to my children and how I should be treating them fall by the wayside for a moment and…_

His gaze fell from its current position for a brief second due to his inner contemplation… _**this** happens._

Unable to hold her rampant emotions within her any longer, Hinata let her tears fall free once more... letting her father envelop her in a warm hug due to her frail state.

"A-Arigato otousan. That m-means so much to me…!"

"Hmm… your welcome Hinata," the proud father replied, voice as gentle as it could be as he held his eldest child close to himself. _(Sigh) I would have **never** known what I was missing out on had she not stayed the night out yesterday... funny how fate plays with us mortals sometimes._

* * *

><p><strong>(Kiba's POV)<strong>

"..."**  
><strong>

Watching this scene unfold before my eyes, I found it really hard to hold back that feeling of 'warmth' from spreading all around my chest.

It was just so damn hard to **not** let it manifest my heart and soul right then, seeing as it concerned Hinata on such a personal level. Her smile of joy, the sighs of pure happiness that left her mouth… it really made me think to myself that...

_I've got a lot to live upto if I wanna see her pretty smile every 'single' day from now on… Hehe!_

My moistening eyes made me reach up and wipe away the annoying traces of liquid that had seeped through them, face unable to keep itself straight as a grin kept growing all over it…

_Hinata… I'm just so happy for you right now. You deserve it._

* * *

><p><strong>(Normal 3rd person view)<strong>

Releasing the young woman from his hold, Hiashi patted her head one last time before speaking, gaze landing on the young jounin standing on his right as he did so, "I entrust you to look after my daughter well."

He added further, frown deepening as he did so, "Do **not** disappoint me."

Not missing the suppressed 'ferocity' in the older man's voice, _Talk about turning overprotective all of a sudden! Phew…_ the dog-nin smiled back, his confidence towards his commitment shining right through his 'trademark' flashy grin.

He bowed politely and replied; overflowing joy becoming too hard for him to contain by the passing second, "There's no need for you to worry Hiashi-san…" His orbs connected with Hinata then, unmatched joy and excitement shining in hers whilst he merely smiled back at them through his own.

"… I'll leave **no** room for complaint from my side… at all."

"..."

Nodding towards him once before softly pushing the lilac-eyed kunoichi towards him, Hiashi bid them farewell and requested for them to shut the door on their way out.

"Very well then, I suppose that will suffice."

_There she goes,_ he inwardly mused, watching them excuse themselves from his presence. _My eldest daughter, heiress to our clan and holder of the key to our future… is paving her own path on her own merit._

He folded his arms as Hinata gave him another grateful smile, before closing the door behind her.

_What could be better?_

Smiling to himself once more, Hiashi turned to look outside of his spacious study's window, observing the way a pair of birds chased one another in the clear, blue sky.

_My blessings will always be with you… my child._

* * *

><p><strong>Outside the study, along the corridor that began from where the former ended...<strong>

A deep sigh of relief escaping him, Kiba turned to grin at his pink-cheeked love; her giggling at his excitable antics. _At least **she** seems real happy, Hehe…!_

"Hinata…"

He placed an arm around her shoulders as she sighed against his chest, heart beating faster as he closed the small distance between them... faster than even she had initially expected him to.

"Kiba-kun…"

The sound of snickering from in front of them made both of the shinobi snap their heads in the direction of it's owner…

… only to find a dark-haired chuunin grinning back at them in amusement, eyes holding a look of glee as she ran their way.

"!"

Surprised more than ever when her younger sister enveloped her in a crushing hug, Hinata gathered her wits quickly before asking, "H-Hanabi?" _What's gotten into her all of a sudden?_ she wondered, mind confused by a good degree due to the younger girl's actions.

Raising her head to look her older sister in the eye, wide grin nearly threatening to cause permanent 'damage' to her face, Hanabi kept her voice down to a considerably normal tone before voicing her excitement.

"I heard your entire talk with otousan just now!"

"..."

"Y-You what?" Kiba yelled outright, not being so adept himself at keeping his **own** voice at a civic level; face showing off his disbelief with unabashed pride. _I **was** wondering why there was that extra scent lingering around the place…_

Glancing to his left at his pretty much 'shaken' partner, the male found her blushing furiously... whilst her lips curved upwards into a bright smile regardless.

_Well, there isn't much that I should be complaining about anyway,_ he shrugged nonchalantly.

Finally being able to return her sister's embrace, although coyly due to her 'unfamiliarity' with offering physical contact to others (excluding her devious boyfriend), Hinata beamed out her response, "Well, I-I suppose that's good Hanabi."

Her eyes met Kiba's for a small moment before she continued.

"Otousan gave the both of us his p-permission to…" Her words were purposely held back as she flushed a bright pink... finding it hard to finish her statement.

Grinning like a mischievous child at her sibling's embarrassment, Hanabi poked the other jounin in the ribs; seeing as he still **towered** over her shorter frame then.

"Oi…"

Her face resembled that of an 'overprotective' younger sister at that point, milky orbs boring into the dog-nin's skull as he backed away slowly... arms raised slightly in defense.

_W-What's her problem?_ he wondered in bemusement.

Raising an eyebrow, Kiba waited for her to finish first… not really wanting to invoke her wrath if he could help it.

Stepping into his personal space as her face stared up at his tensed one, Hanabi suddenly spoke out in a calm... 'flat' tone, "Don't you **ever** hurt my neesan… got it?"

"..."

Understanding her honest sentiments, the Inuzuka replied to her demand with a lazy grin adorning his face... "Yeah, no prob Hanabi." _You can rest easy about that one._

He wrapped his left arm around his precious Hinata's waist as she failed to resist against his intimate touch, letting him have his way with her; face burning even further.

"I don't plan to have **any** sort of sadness linger for long in my Hinata's pretty eyes… ever."

_K-Kiba-kun…_

* * *

><p>"..."<em> Hmm.<br>_

Satisfied by his confident answer, the younger shinobi stepped aside and allowed them both to pass by her, smirking back at the brown-haired youth as he winked her way one last time.

"I'll hold you onto your promise then…"

The cheeky female added later, a giggle hidden into her final, parting word, "… Kiba-oniichan."

Needless to say, the man visibly cringed at her mention of the 'improvement' in their relationship. _Oh, she's **good**… and real quick too._

Hanabi meanwhile, felt a certain thought pop up in her mind as she saw the two shinobi leave... _He's alright… even though he's quite full of himself sometimes, Hehe!_

Witnessing the abrupt bombardment of the colour 'pink' all over Kiba's clan tattoos made Hinata nearly 'laugh out loud' at the hilarious expression upon the former's face, as she grasped his hand securely... guiding him out of her family home and into the large grounds.

_I'm so happy… so **very** happy._

Those were the only feelings reverberating throughout her system as she stepped beyond the threshold of the Hyuuga estates.

"..."

Kiba wasn't so very sure about his own feelings however, mind having second thoughts about the type of people that he was letting himself get 'involved with' by then._ I'd better keep a close eye on her… can't be too careful I guess._

He was obviously referring to the slightly 'twisted' younger sibling of his angel; inner thoughts being of cautionary vigilance.

"Kiba-kun…?"

Snapping out of his internal debate, the man turned his attentions to his beautiful lover, eyes melting themselves into her pupil-less ones as if in a wonderful trance… _Kami, she's so perfect. I really am lucky to even be standing next to her… like this, holding onto her hand._

"Yeah Hinata?"

"..." Trying her very best to not chicken out of sharing her joyous emotions with who she loved wholeheartedly, Hinata merely turned her gaze down to her sandals as they walked on, past the main gate and into the quiet village streets of Konoha.

"U-Um, well I… I just…"

In spite of trying not to, the woman broke off unexpectedly, cursing herself inwardly for **still** remaining hesitant in her approach.

_(Sigh) **Why** do I keep falling short whenever I want… to tell Kiba-kun something?_ she wondered, confidence levels deflating steadily.

Smiling warmly at her cute face, all 'scrunched up' as she tried to get her words out properly, **her** way... Kiba wrapped an arm around her shoulders gently and placed a slow kiss upon her pink cheek.

"Nani? Tell me hime…"

His whispered query tickled her right ear, as she muffled her soft giggles at the breezy contact.

"Hmm… hmm! Enough Kiba-kun… p-please…!"

Grinning from ear to ear at her shy disposition, the Inuzuka embraced her tighter, making her gasp at their close proximity.

"K-Kiba-kun?" _I-I'm feeling so warm again…_

He simply sought out her plump lips hungrily, silencing her angelic voice for the moment as he devoured her mouth... making her moan due to his 'forceful' actions.

"Mmm~Hina-chan…"

* * *

><p><strong>After a few 'delicious' minutes of locking lips with the blushing woman<strong>

Separating his beloved from his lustful hold the male chuckled at the way she fumbled with her words; prior lip lock having successfully expended her of her **entire** vocabulary by then.

_I just can't help but kiss her when she's like that, damn…_

"So, you were saying something Hon…?" he asked her gently, gathering his wits in a mad haste as he saw her blush dissipate steadily.

Now being able to calm herself down a bit, seeing as her boyfriend had openly 'expressed' his desire to hear her out, Hinata smiled shyly and said, "Well, I j-just wanted to tell you that…"

Her bright eyes looked into his darker ones, heart thumping in her chest as her breath hitched slightly at the sheer love present in his orbs. _Here I go._

"… I-I'm so very happy with where… we are right now Kiba-kun," she finished quietly, hiding her flushed face from him by glancing away from his smoldering gaze. _I really am._

Placing his hands on both of her shoulders tenderly... as his sharp vision caught sight of the bright afternoon sun letting its overbearing presence become known to the both of them, from behind her…

… Kiba pulled her into his embrace and wrapped his arms lovingly around her smaller frame; relishing the feel of having her all for himself right then.

_I wish that we could stay like this forever Hina…_

"You know something?" he breathed into her silky smooth hair as she relaxed her curvaceous body against him, a sigh escaping her lips.

"Nani?" she responded in a soft voice, smiling secretly.

"I love you… more than anything."

Kiba treated his statement as something a person of 'faith' would say at his place of worship… to the one who was the sole reason for his entire existence.

"..."

Feeling a small tear escape her closed eyelids, Hinata tightened her hold around him; beating heart 'pounding' against his chest, her own reply following soon after…

"I… I love you too Kiba-kun… so much."

A cheeky smirk from the dog-nin is what followed her quiet confession of her feelings for him, face buried in the heavenly scent of her eggplant hair.

"Hm, then pray tell me more about it love… hehe…"

* * *

><p><strong>Meanwhile, in more... 'livelier' surroundings...<strong>

"NARUTO!" she yelled at the male behind her with a small frown, "Hurry it up will you!"

Tripping ungracefully on his way over to his ladylove, the jinchuuriki hopped over a stray pebble in his path... grinning broadly at his 'feat' before finding his face literally kissing solid dirt.

"Ette-ttebayo…" he groaned morosely at the feel of a rapidly swelling bruise upon his right cheek. _Did I get hit by a boulder or what…?_

Dusting off her hands, eyes closed as she doused the flames of her annoyance at the childish jounin's actions, Sakura sighed to herself, _Honestly, I don't know where he would have ended up if not for me pulling him back on the right track every now and then._

It took all of her willpower to not berate her hapless boyfriend verbally right then, choosing to simply wait for him to get back up on his feet. _But then, I guess it's one of his many 'endearing' qualities..._

Stumbling back up, Naruto winced slightly at the stinging feeling his cheek gave off, having received his girlfriend's punch at 'point blank' range, courtesy of his terrible luck.

_Ow! I really need to be more careful around her from now on dattebayo,_ he thought, mind still reeling after being clobbered so mercilessly by the hot-tempered kunoichi.

To be absolutely frank, he was actually expecting his favourite medic to go 'easy' on him... what with them finally dating and all. _(Sigh!) I can't afford to be all that clumsy anymore then._

His blue orbs took up a dejected look about them as that piece of wisdom registered itself in his psyche.

Walking over to the 'less-than-lively' male, Sakura smiled softly at his adorable expression, rubbing her palm all over and around his bruised muscle; chakra being transferred into it as it began to heal in response.

_(Sigh) I just can't help but love him if he's so… cute all the time._

"Baka…" she whispered against his neck, smirking at the feel of him starting to tense up against her advances. _And it's got some perks to it too, Hehe!_

"A-Ano… Sakura-chan…" Naruto nearly croaked out, sweat forming at the base of his neck, sweet scent of cherry blossoms wafting up his nose from the pinkette's hair. _It feels… nice when she's this close to me,_ he sighed inwardly.

He slowly wrapped his arms around her frame, making her widen her eyes in surprise at his bold move.

"Oho, someone is getting really brave all of a sudden hmm?"

Her eyes carried a look of amusement as she giggled at the bright red blush that had appeared upon her boyfriend's whisker-marked face. _You're just **too** easy sometimes Naruto…!_

Shaking his head free of his embarrassment, Naruto chuckled good-naturedly at the woman's insinuation and hugged her closer to his body; her gasping in genuine surprise at his bold actions.

_W-Wow, am I 'actually' getting confused around **him** of all people?_

Grinning by now at their close proximity, as their bodies rising heat molded with the others in an irresistibly intimate manner, the cheeky blonde proceeded to bury his nose in his love's hair…

... whispering into it as he felt her heart beat faster against his.

"Sakura-chan… gomen."

She met his oceanic eyes with mild confusion present in her emerald ones.

"Eh? For what?"

His warm expression making her comfort level increase dramatically whilst she remained in his hold, Sakura **knew** his answer way before he had even worded it.

"For earlier."

His tone carried a hint of shame at his lack of brightness, but only for a passing moment... "Uh… I… was a real klutz for a while ne?"

"..."

* * *

><p>Smiling at his sheepish look before planting her lips firmly upon his, much to his apparent shock, the young woman rested her head against his chest; 'contented' sigh escaping her.<p>

"But that's just how I want you to always remain…" She gazed into his pools of warmth as he met her eyes once more, happiness shining brightly within them.

"… as my annoying, dense, knuckle-headed…" her smile widened into a grin as she finished her thought, huge blush adorning her cheeks, "… ever lovable, baka Naruto."

"..."

_Sakura-chan..._

Laughing softly at her candid admittance, the jounin smirked at her small pout.

"Really dattebayo?!" _Oh how I love teasing her when she's in a good mood…_

"You just can't **stop** horsing around can you?" Sakura gave him a half-hearted glare as he chuckled outright at her face, hugging her securely against him. _How **does** he expect me to stay mad at him if he keeps grinning like an idiot every few seconds? Moh…_

Sighing one last time before pulling back from him, although reluctantly, the pinkette pulled him towards the Hokage tower… smirking all the way as he struggled against her powerful hold.

The abrupt change in the surrounding mood got to him, in a way that making him blink a couple of times in response.

_N-Nani? Where's she taking me? _It didn't take him 'long' however, to figure the answer out.

_Oh... no._

"W-Why are we going to meet Baa-chan all of a sudden-ttebayo?" the jinchuuriki inquired, voice quaking slightly as he recalled the last prank that he had 'unfortunately' pulled upon his adoptive grandmother some weeks ago. **That** being the sole reason as to why he had avoided ending up at her doorstep... at all costs.

"Oh it's no special reason Naruto…"

She glanced back at the still struggling male in her grip, masking her victorious grin with effortless skill, "… I just thought that we haven't really paid Tsunade-sama a visit in such a long time so…"

She purposely cut herself off at that point to allow the depth of her statements meaning to embellish itself in the nervous blonde's heart and mind. _Like always..._

"B-But…"

"No buts Naruto!" Sakura frowned at him, causing him to flinch slightly at her domineering tone.

"We're **going** to pay my master a visit whether you want to or not."

"..."

Now Naruto had to be a thoroughbred idiot to miss out on the 'finality' in Sakura's voice as she tugged him along, threatening to literally rip his left arm right off if she had to.

_Oh boy… better go ahead with her wishes if I wanna still keep my head on my shoulders dattebayo,_ Naruto groaned inwardly... having completely, by then, lost **all** hope of coming out of the temperamental Hokage's office…

… in one piece.

Glancing from the corner of her eye at the look on the blonde's face, the medic couldn't help but smile to herself, _That Naruto, always getting into trouble and then expecting **me** to bail him out._

She pondered over it for a moment before adding, _Not that I really mind… most of the time._

The 'future' Hokage's protests had died down considerably, yet the kunoichi knew that he wasn't at all happy with how their 'alone time' had been converted into a trip to his foster relative's office…

… at least, judging by his pouting fit as he was being dragged by her... up the stairs.

_Baka, hmm… hmm! So lovable yet annoying at the same time._

* * *

><p><strong>Back with our favourite pair (Lolz!)<strong>

"Uh… Hinata…" the dog-nin began, voice quiet and tone steady as he spoke.

"Hai?"

Scratching the back of his head, he grinned awkwardly at the curious kunoichi, "I've not… treated you to your favourite dish for a while now right?" _Come to think of it, I haven't taken her **anywhere** for a long while! Wow._

Placing her finger on her chin, Hinata pondered her thoughts... trying to recall the last time that both of them had gone 'out' together. _My… favourite dish? What did he mean by that?_

Her inner workings had to be put on hold as her boyfriend 'poked' her left cheek playfully, making her blush deeply and stutter due to her embarrassment.

"U-Um… no I don't think you have Kiba-kun," she replied back with slight hesitancy in her soft voice.

Nodding at her with his arms folded, eyes closed in contemplation as to how he could improve the present situation, Kiba had a brainwave…

... and what an idea it was…

_I don't see why it won't work!_ he inwardly grinned as his girlfriend cocked her head to the side in confusion at his actions.

"Then… how about this Hinata…" Putting his hands upon her shoulders as she widened her milky orbs in surprise, the Inuzuka gave her a toothy grin, "… you, me… going out to get ourselves some cinnamon rolls, eh?" _She just can't refuse this one… not in a million years!_

_I-Is he… serious?_ she wondered incredulously, having a sudden excitement erupt within her at the very thought; meeting his joyous chuckle with a responsive giggle of her own.

"R-Really Kiba-kun?! Are we really…?"

"..."

Kiba easily understood just how much the little 'trip' would have meant to her by then; eyes gleaming as she threw herself into his arms with a small laugh.

_Not the mention the fact that I'm literally 'bribing' her to agree to it, Hehe!_

"Looking forward to it I see." he smirked at his angel, making her turn red at his words as she buried her face in his chest once again.

"H-Hai… they are my favourite you know," the overjoyed Hyuuga replied, smile still in place… face flushed as she met his eyes, albeit hesitantly.

Grabbing onto her smooth hand as she stumbled slightly in his slackening hold, Kiba led her towards the nearest sweet store… knowing in his head that if things carried themselves off 'well' in the daytime then the rest of it would definitely be worth the wait…

…at least, that's what he believed.

"I hope you like this treat of mine Hinata," he mumbled, more or less to himself, unaware that the shy female had managed to catch onto his hushed statement.

_He **really** thinks too much sometimes, hmm… hmm!_

Meeting his steps as he maintained an 'easy pace' for the both of them to walk with, Hinata whispered against his shoulder; head momentarily resting against the sturdy muscle, "I'm… already loving it Kiba-kun..."

_Like always,_ she mentally added with joyous glee.

"..."

Turning his head towards the silky mass of dark purple that was placed upon his left shoulder blade, Kiba smiled back warmly, "Well, as long as you like it Hina."

Their hands entwined themselves around the other, fingers lacing together snugly as if it was the most 'natural' thing for them to be doing.

"Then…" he continued in a low tone.

"..."

She looked up at him suddenly as he claimed her lips, 'gently' this time, with his own yet again... making her sigh against him in contentment.

"… there's nothing to worry about."

_Yep…_ the brown-haired youth added later on, feeling more at peace with himself then he **ever** had before in his twenty years of living as part of the village he called his home.

_... nothing... at all._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Phew! Took me long enough to get this done… so kindly READ &amp; REVIEW this like you would 'usually' dear peeps.<strong>

**The FINAL chapter to this fic will be put up in due time.**

**I'm sincerely apologetic to you all for the delayed update…**

**Ciao!**


	17. Chapter 17

Epilogue

**Disclaimer: Kindly refer to ALL of the previous chapters for a satisfying culmination of my personal 'discredit' for the elements of this venture (while giving them a good read at the same time!) ;D**

**AN: A big hello to one and all.**

**Well, here is the conclusion for my first ever fanfic folks. I would like to personally thank 'each and every' reader who has unknowingly contributed to making this what it is today.**

**Here's a big salute to you all from the very bottom of my heart.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>Hinata –<strong>

_Mo, what can I possibly wear today that will** really** make him take notice…_

Shuffling within her modest collection of garments, since she had hardly ever found a valid enough reason to have to 'dress up' before, a certain heiress found herself in a highly confused and worried state.

_(Sigh!) I **do** want to step out with a different look… but how can-?_

Her inner debate was suddenly interrupted as her personal help, the kindly Miko; to whom she had just recently confessed everything related to her 'new' relationship with Kiba, stepped into her room, a bunch of outdoor clothes in her secure hold.

"Excuse me Hinata-sama…" she spoke, stepping completely into the room.

"O-Oh it's you Miko-san," the dark bluenette sighed in relief, initially afraid that it would have been her cheeky sister or stern cousin who had entered. "Did you find anything nice for me to wear in that pile?"

Smiling warmly at the obviously 'frizzled' young woman, the old dame replied in a kind voice, "Don't worry Hinata-sama, I'm sure Kiba-kun would still love you regardless of what you choose to wear for him today." _Not that a little change every now and then is a **bad** thing in my opinion, hmm… hmm!_

Blushing slightly at the mention of her 'affectionate' boyfriend, Hinata felt herself smile at that before being brought out of her merry thoughts… yet again.

"You know…" Miko suddenly asked, "… this… might look very fitting on you. Especially considering that he's coming around later this evening." _An evening stroll… how lucky you are indeed my dear,_ she inwardly mused.

Turning towards the woman, the kunoichi's eyes widened considerably at the sight of the garment held between the former's hands.

_Should I…_ she wondered… _wear something like… **that**?_

"Miko-san a-are you really sure about this? I mean…" She began to glance away as her embarrassment rose to her cheeks, and quickly.

_Even if I put it on, will it actually look good on me…? Oh…_

Understanding her inner confusion and hesitancy, Miko walked towards the girl and lifted her delicate chin with a gentle forefinger; peering into her glassy orbs with a womanly giggle.

"There is no need to worry about something like this now Hinata-sama… because…"

Curious eyes connected with hers as she stepped back abruptly, holding up a corresponding pair of pale jeans in her free hand with a grin.

"… you will be wearing **this** too!" _She is just so adorable when flustered!_

Turning crimson at the old servant's slightly 'twisted' sense of humour, Hinata folded her arms across her chest and pouted like a child in response, "Moh, Miko-san… this isn't a time to be joking around you know."

_Honestly, here I am utterly nervous and at my wits end and…_ her gaze met the sheepish one sent her way by the elderly woman... _she's only kidding around_.

"..."

Scratching her cheek in mild embarrassment, not having expected her protégé to be so 'unamused' by her attempt at lightening her mood up, Miko handed the two sets of clothing over to the lilac-eyed woman with a small smile.

"Forgive me Hinata-sama. I was merely trying to make you ease up a bit... seeing as how important this night is for you." Her words carried genuine remorse and yet seemed to be the very same ones, which a mother would say to her child.

Sighing and then grinning back at the concern present upon her 'foster' mother's face, Hinata wrapped her in a gentle hug and felt a giggle escape her as said person returned her embrace... albeit hesitantly, seeing as she was merely a servant of the household.

"Thank you for caring Miko-san. I would like to change into them now…"

Her gaze momentarily fell upon the pieces of her chosen wardrobe, face turning slightly pink at the sheer thought of wearing them. "… so…"

"..."

Nodding quietly at her request with a warm smile, Miko bowed and took her leave; closing the door softly behind her…

... but **not** before giving the young kunoichi some parting words of advice… free of charge.

"If Kiba-kun thinks that you look wonderful in your outfit, Hinata-sama…" The tiny wrinkles surrounding her mouth crinkled slightly as a wide grin spread across her aged face.

"… be sure to… 'thank' him wholeheartedly!"

"...!"

Flushed completely from head to toe in spite of having done far more than just that not too long ago, Hinata stuttered out her reply as the old woman chuckled once more and took her leave.

"O-Oh… okay Miko-san. A-Arigato."

Her bright red face, unsurprisingly, took its own time to return back to its normal colour.

Finally alone, the heiress sighed deeply, glancing at the clothes lying upon her large bed; an uneasy grimace present on her pale face the entire while as she found her hesitancy grow to even greater heights… by merely imagining herself 'wearing' said garments.

_Well…_ she sighed... _it seems that I have no choice in the matter…_

* * *

><p><strong>After she had stepped out of a 'much-needed' and refreshing shower<strong>

Drying off her luscious locks as tiny droplets of water 'glistened' teasingly all across her clean body, Hinata proceeded to wipe off her curvaceous frame completely... then moving to put on the clothes that the kind old woman had picked out for her earlier.

_Hmm, a small amount of makeup wouldn't hurt…_

Once she was completely ready, outfit and all, she applied some lipstick; eyeliner and just a hint of mascara to make her eyes 'stand out' following soon after… not that they really needed to seeing as they usually glowed in the dark whenever so exposed by her.

The lipstick was also carefully kept at a bare minimum during the process, seeing as the dog-nin found her 'natural look' too much to take in half the time anyway.

Ignoring putting on even a small amount of blush, feeling it would be a bit 'over-the-top', Hinata smiled in satisfaction at her reflection; confidence in her looks having increased to 'magnanimous' levels due to her zealous boyfriend's constant mentioning of said fact to her…

… quite unabashedly sometimes, she would have to admit.

It seemed that Kiba could honestly **never** tire in describing to her as to how beautiful he believed for her to really be.

_Hmm… hmm! Kiba-kun and his blunt speech._

Recalling the main reason as to why he had repeatedly insisted on the both of them… 'going out' that day, the indigo-haired woman smiled as the image of him going down on one knee as part of his request to her, appeared in her mind.

_He really wanted to go out again today,_ the Hyuuga mused to herself, spraying her favourite perfume around her neck with a contemplative look on her face.

_But I wonder why so late in the evening? We've never gone on a date in the evening before..._

Shrugging to herself dismissively, as she brushed her long hair into place; 'whipping' it behind her with a small grin, Hinata stood up and headed over to the drawing room so that she could await the brown-haired jounin's imminent arrival.

"..."

_(Sigh) I'm just so nervous about this... although it's a good thing that otousan agreed to me going out so late._

She let her head tilt back on her seat, eyelids drooping lazily over her vision.

_Hmm… hmm! Only Neji-niisan had any objections anyway,_ she later added with slight amusement.

Smiling to herself as the minutes seemed to float by her stationary frame, Hinata felt extremely grateful to the one above for the string of joyous things that she had been gifted with so far.

From her 'repaired' relationship with her father and cousin, to finding someone who she could love wholeheartedly whilst receiving his affections in return... it was truly a welcome cluster of joyous events... according to her.

_Things are so very perfect right now,_ she felt her chest grow warm as the comforting thought made her eyes moisten, an overburdening feeling of happiness in close tow.

_I just wish that they remain this way… forever..._

* * *

><p><strong>Kiba –<strong>

"AHOU!"

"!"

Ducking under a hurled item of crockery, one made of 'stainless steel' at that, Kiba groaned inwardly and straightened his hunched frame up to face his, obviously pissed off, older sister.

_Why… of all people, did I ask **her** to help me get ready for something as important as this?_ he inwardly sighed.

Glaring at her baby brother with a huff, Hana Inuzuka was 'not all pleased' with his lack of seriousness in relation to his current situation. _Does he actually plan on going out with someone like **Hinata** in a measly old t-shirt and a pair of his unwashed jeans?!_

Her stormy temper was one that found itself not quite willing to dissipate so easily... _The brainless klutz._

Knowing that her incredulousness was, indeed, warranted... a hapless Kiba rubbed the back of his head before speaking.

"Well then, what do **you** suggest sis?" _Better agree with whatever she tells me or else poor Hinata will have to find a 'new' boyfriend soon... (Sigh)_

Rubbing her temples in an effort to calm herself down a notch, the brunette silently walked over to her brother's closet, opening it before pulled out what she thought, were 'appropriate' pieces of clothing for him to wear.

_Hm, not bad for a selection sis,_ the Inuzuka male grinned to himself lest the woman lashed out at him again... instead choosing to merely stand by the foot of his bed, hands tucked in his pant pockets as her quest to provide for him the 'perfect outfit' continued...

_Really, how was **I** even supposed to know that she would get jealous of me for having a girlfriend?_ he frowned, eyes closed as the sounds of his entire closet being 'raided' passed by his ears.

_Hmph, women… am I glad that **mine** isn't as whiny or bitchy as the others._

Had the unaware jounin known about his angel's hidden 'talents'... he would have eaten his words on the spot.

"...!" _Ah!_

Smirking in delight at having found the item that her sharp eyes had been seeking since the very start, Hana threw the garment towards her sibling's bed… unfortunately hitting him straight across his face in the process.

"Oi!" Kiba yelled in annoyance, not having his eyes open at that moment to dodge the flung object in time. "Watch it will ya?"

"Oh, stop complaining you big cry baby," she fired back, grinning to herself as he looked away from her with a small growl... eyes shut once again in mild irritation.

"Be grateful that your generous and **kind** oneesan is helping your sorry ass with your big date."

Snorting in defiance, the jounin shot back with a light increase in his voice's tone, "I never **did** ask you in the first place."

A devious smirk grew upon his face... "You just couldn't keep **your** nose out of **my** business."_ Heh, do I love pressing all of her buttons…_

"..."

Frowning at him for a second before getting back to her work with a huff, the young woman rummaged further into his collection of clothing.

_Baka,_ she mused, albeit half-heartedly due to always having wished him well; being his 'loving' older sister and all.

_What does the 'oh-so-lovable' Hinata see in **his** overconfident ass anyway?_ she grumbled further, not quite used to losing an argument or exchange with her sibling... ever.

"Aha!" Hana suddenly found herself exclaiming out loud in relief. "Found it!"

Opening an eye lazily in apathetic interest at what she had discovered, in his own pile of clothes no less, Kiba stepped up behind her kneeling form… leaning over her head to get a look at it.

"What? Whatcha find?"

Standing up with a grin as he merely raised an eyebrow at her, the vet shoved a pair of clean and dark jeans up into his face... effectively making him growl again and step back in surprise.

_Hehe, he's **so** easy to rile up sometimes!_

Staring at the pair of jeans in his hold, as he held it at arms length; to be able to pass off a valid judgment on whether he would be donning it or not, Kiba tossed it onto his bed with a grunt, heading off for a hot shower…

… seeing as he was literally covered in the grime of his and Akamaru's sweat, courtesy of their intense training session earlier.

"I'm gonna take a shower before changing," he spoke in a flat tone, having had enough of his sisters 'assistance' for one day. "Close the door when you leave will ya?"

Placing her hands on her hips and sticking her tongue out at him, Hana turned around to remove herself from his presence… but not before giving him a 'piece' of her mind.

"Hey... Kiba."

"..."

He tilted his head in her direction, eyes portraying his boredom with their elongated conversation already.

Ignoring his look, the brunette continued, "Good luck…"

"...?"

Surprised at her 'optimistic' response, the man nodded curtly in reply, _That's strange, she usually spews out a smartass comment whenever I head out someplace…_

His sister's continued speech, however, made him cancel out the rest of his thoughts as he graced her with his full attention.

"… and try not to make her feel too… uncomfortable," her smirk returned in full blast, her advisory lecture ending soon after. "I know how... 'frisky' you can be with her when she least expects it, hmm… hmm!"

"!"

Snarling at her impudence regarding his love-life, Kiba grinded his teeth and nearly chased her till his room's door; her cackling all the way as he stopped his tracks near said door, watching her disappear down the stairs in a mad haste to get away from his 'rage'.

_Grrr, better hurry up with my shower or I'll **seriously** be late. Damn her…_

* * *

><p><strong>After his hot bath, as he stepped out in nothing but a towel wrapped around himself...<strong>

Running his left hand casually through his wet hair as he gave his head a good shake, making the droplets create dark marks upon his room's carpet, the dog-nin reached in his closet for a clean pair of boxers and… wiping the remaining water from his eyes, pulled them on.

_Yosh, now for my… outfit._

His eyes landed upon the garments present on his bed, cheeks turning slightly pink as he tried to imagine exactly what his **gorgeous** lover would have decided to wear.

_Snap out of it Kiba or you're **really** gonna be late!_ he reminded himself, hastening with putting on the shirt that his sibling had deemed 'attractive' and selected for him earlier... even though he couldn't see any difference between it and his own choice.

_(Sigh) Guess I've got no choice but to trust her taste on this one,_ he mused, checking himself out in the large mirror by his closet…

"!"

"Whoa!"

The word escaped his mouth before he even had the chance to stop himself.

_Damn, this shirt is **good**… way to go sis!_ he inwardly cheered his older sibling, wide grin forming on his tattooed mug.

_Okay… what next?_ He buttoned himself up in it and turned back to the remaining parts of his attire.

"..." As he was finishing up with dressing himself, the male couldn't help but 'marvel' at how much more closer he and the Hyuuga princess had gotten in the last month or so...

... **after** the day that her father had approved of their relationship.

_Boy, what a ride it's been… and to think that I was giving up on her altogether._

Hinata's happy and overjoyed smile was all that he remembered from the last time that he had seen her, from the day prior when he had requested for her to go out with him on an evening date.

_Man, I knew that kissing her repeatedly would eventually pay off, Hehe!_

His thought was centered around the fact that he had managed to 'coax' the shy female into finally agreeing to his offer... her being rendered helpless against his persuasive 'methods'.

Checking himself one last time in his mirror lest he had something on his face, Kiba grinned and raced down the stairs at break-neck speed, aiming to reach her place in less than the required time…

... when…

"KIBA INUZUKA!"

"!" _Damn, shoulda bid her goodbye atleast..._

Spinning around and smiling uneasily at the frown present upon his mother's face, he found her standing tall on their front porch, eyes 'glowering' in his direction.

"Uh... hey mom! I was just gonna head over to-"

He was cut off before he could proceed further… courtesy of the Inuzuka matriarch herself.

"Don't you think that you're… forgetting something?" she questioned him, ignoring his confused expression whilst not giving away her facial emotions that easily... lest he should start to 'prepare' himself for her verbal onslaught.

Scratching his cheek, the brunette pondered his most recent thoughts... trying to recall the particular 'thing' his parent was referring to.

"Uh… not anything that I know of…" _Why does she have to make **everything** she says seem like some sorta puzzle?_ he groaned, feeling of foreboding overtaking his senses.

* * *

><p>His double-faced answer left Tsume unimpressed however as she nearly 'barked' in his face, having quickly made the short trip down to where he was situated; skills as a shinobi ensuring that she covered the short distance silently <strong>and<strong> effectively.

"You forgot to put **this** on!"

Her hand shoved something in front of his nose, him stumbling back slightly at the action.

"...?"

It turned out to be a small bottle of cologne that he had 'indeed' completely forgotten about earlier. _Oh._

Reaching hesitantly for it, the dog-nin was surprised to receive a hug from his volatile mother instead; soon being almost scared out of his wits at the 'unexpected' movement from her end... _Whoa!_

"M-Mom?"

Pulling herself back and wiping away at a lukewarm droplet at the corner of her eyes, Tsume simply smiled proudly up at her only son, making him widen his own brown orbs at her in concern...

... and genuine confusion.

"I'm just… **so** happy for you Kibbles." _He's really grown up so fast… (Sigh)_

"..."_  
><em>

Widening his eyes even more than before... at the fact that she had called him something which he hadn't been called as, ever since he had successfully enrolled himself in Konoha Academy, so many years ago, Kiba felt a mysterious **warmth** seep into his heart…

_It's… been so long since she's called me that._

"Th-Thanks a lot… mom…" was all that he managed to say in reply; being extremely grateful that it was dark out, what with his eyes getting misty and all.

Giving her boy a fanged grin, Tsume sprayed the cologne all over his torso, him complying by raising each of his arms respectively in tow.

_Silly boy… making me cry in the middle of the street. All because he's got a 'date' to go on with my future daughter-in-law._

Once done, the woman slapped him 'none-too-gently' upon his muscular back, ushering for him to head onto his destination without much further ado before playfully adding, "Go on, scat… and make sure to give Hinata a good time you lug."

Waving back at her once he had embraced her one last time and began his walk over to his love's place, Kiba grinned silently to himself with a shake of his head… thoughts about what he should suggest for the both of them to do once they would be 'out and about' swirling all around his brain as he did so.

_Man, life's been so damn great ever since… that night._

He hastened his current pace, unable to contain his excitement and anticipation... fingering something that was placed in his jean's right pocket the whole time; broad grin plastering itself upon his face as he did so.

_Yep… but its gonna get even better by the end of **this** one!_

* * *

><p><strong>Hyuuga residence, about 15 minutes later<strong>

_(Sigh!) Waiting like this is going to kill me. Where **are** you Kiba-kun?_

Pacing in circles around her family home's front porch as the cool night breeze stung at her exposed arms, although only slightly, Hinata found herself harboring a mounting amount of impatience as her heart rate increased in its tandem; almost desperate as it awaited the arrival of a certain Inuzuka.

"...?"

Hearing footsteps to her right, she turned her head with her arms still folded across her chest; eyes widening considerably as they 'drank' the dog-nin's look into them completely.

_H-He looks so…_ she inwardly began, throat suddenly feeling drier than ever before... but halted immediately as Kiba grinned her way, a confident twinkle in his eye.

Smirking as he caught onto her speechlessness at his arrival, the dog-nin ran a hand through his messy locks once more before stopping right in front of his love… taking in her entire look; cheeks burning due to the raw waves of unrivaled 'beauty' that were radiating off of her form.

_Wow, can she even look prettier… than this?_

Shaking his head free of the visionary pleasure, courtesy of his gorgeous date, the man swallowed the lump forming in his throat and made his way over to her.

"Hey," he greeted, eyes locked with hers as he spoke.

"H-Hello Kiba-kun," the heiress merely whispered, blushing at his choice of clothes which, she had to admit, made him look like the most 'desirable' piece of man to have existed in the world right then.

Clad in a simple yet 'form-fitting' dark blue button-up shirt along with dark jeans, that seemed to be making him seem taller than he actually was... it was all topped off with the fact that the first three buttons of said shirt were, to be frank, not in use.

It certainly didn't help her case in **any** way when her boyfriend's chiseled pectorals were so easily visible to her sharp vision through the 'unbuttoned curtains' of his dark-coloured garb.

_H-He looks so…_ she just **couldn't** place her feelings at that moment.

On one hand she felt as if she might 'jump' him right then and there… the scarier part being that the vice-versa was **also** a possibility!

"U-Um… you look... really nice Kiba-kun."

She, undoubtedly, surprised even herself at that point, knowing for a fact that had she been more confident and self-assured by nature, she would have said the very same thing to him… much earlier.

"..."

Raising an eyebrow slightly at her brave admittance and replacing said look of surprise with a warm smile, the Inuzuka rubbed the back of his head with his left hand sheepishly...

... causing his bicep to 'bulge' a bit against the thin material of his shirt, him chuckling good-naturedly at his girlfriend. _She really **is** adorable when she's trying to let her thoughts be known to others, Hehe…_

"You…"

He ran his eyes unabashedly up and down the nervous female, with her rubbing her elbow and glancing away in mild embarrassment at his actions, currently unable to meet his gaze lest she ended up losing her sense of self… although in a **good** way.

Being stared at wasn't something that she had ever been used to **or** comfortable against anyway…

... and yet, if it was someone like **him** doing it to her, she honestly felt that she didn't mind it in the least.

Feeling his heart rate increase as his brown eyes floated from her face, to her ample bosom... all the way down to her rounded hips and then back up again, Kiba subconsciously swallowed the lump in his throat (again!), becoming completely 'entranced' with her subtle form of clothing that heightened the attractive power of her feminine body.

_She couldn't **possibly** have looked more beautiful than she does tonight,_ he reasoned with himself. _Nope._

Having on a violet coloured halter-top, a pair of jeans that literally 'hugged' her delicious hips teasingly (making the love struck jounin nearly reach out and place his own hands upon them due to his 'ever-growing' need) and a pair of simple gold bangles around her delicate wrists to complete it all…

... Hinata Hyuuga, all in all, could have effortlessly stunned any man and **made** said man to provide his undivided attention towards her with her mere presence… be they young or old.

_Better not tell her that or she'll not even wanna step out of the house, Ha-ha!_

Hiding his inner chuckles from the pink-cheeked female successfully, Kiba grasped her hands gently into his as she met his eyes once more, lips parting slightly as he touched them softly with his own... making her sigh happily against him as he wrapped her completely in his hold... possessively.

_Too bad that I just **love** seeing her all blushing and stuttering half the time…_

Once done with the necessary 'pleasantries', he pulled back by a small way and smiled at the look of contentment in his beloved's lilac orbs; hands moving down his forearms as his tender grip upon her waist remained steady throughout.

"You can easily beat a full moon with the way you are looking tonight hime…" he whispered, the words finding their way out directly from the 'innermost' confines of his heart as he spoke. _Damn I love her…_

"..."_  
><em>

Covering her mouth with her right hand as he grinned and pulled her against him again, Hinata glanced away with a big smile forming on her lips as she did so.

"Th-Thank you Kiba-kun… I'm really glad you liked it-"

"I love it," he immediately corrected her as she giggled softly in his embrace, nose hidden away from the world as she failed to put up 'much of a fight' against the constant sounds of her giddy amusement... face buried in his warm chest as a light-hearted atmosphere surrounded the both of them almost instantly.

"Shall we get going?" Kiba inquired, staring down at her cute little nose as she beamed up at him through her eyelashes. _Okay, time to make sure that this thing starts off well._

"Hai… lets," she responded in a soft voice as he took her hand in his, gave her a toothy grin, placed a tender kiss upon her smooth, milky shoulder from behind (for good measure) and hastily led her out of the Hyuuga compound…

… and towards the start of their romantic evening.

* * *

><p><strong>After a 'wonderful' 2 hours of wandering around the village and then having dinner together at Ichiraku's (ironically enough)…<strong>

Laughing along with the dog-nin as they recalled a memorable incident...

... one involving an extremely annoyed Kurenai and a completely **impassive** Shino, Hinata gasped yet again as she tried to catch her breath.

"Hmm… hmm! I remember just how much she yelled at him that day...!"

It wasn't long before the snickering male joined her once again, her leaning against him as a precaution should she trip due to her constant giggles.

Seated on one of the many benches that lined up the path that led to Konoha Academy, the two lovers were perched side to side, hands entwined as they finally came down from their laughing fit at their friend and former teacher's expense.

_What a wonderful evening it's been. (Sigh) I wish it would never end,_ the indigo-haired kunoichi sighed to herself, leaning upon her boyfriend's shoulder, eyes closing as he wrapped an arm around her right shoulder in response.

_Hmm… this is perfect,_ she later added with a secret smile.

"..."

Turning to glance at his calm angel who was resting against him, Kiba's eyes softened suddenly as he thought, _Now's the time… yosh, I need to be focused and stick to the plan._

"...?"

Feeling him move away from her all of a sudden, Hinata straightened herself up into a proper position in surprise and spoke, "Kiba-kun?" only to find him instead down 'on one knee' in front of her, look of intense determination and unusual seriousness adorning his handsome face as his lips remained glued together in a thin line throughout.

_This is it Hina… I'm gonna do it._ His words came 'flowing out' right at that moment as she kept a confused look in her pupil-less pools.

_W-What is he...?_

She never got the chance to finish her mental query… which, to be frank, wouldn't have mattered to her later on either way.

"Hinata…" His head hung low for a brief moment as he recollected his words.

Looking up at the stunned woman once he deemed himself ready, Kiba steeled his resolve and began all over again, trying to make the process as smooth as humanely possible. _C'mon Kiba… it's just a few stupid words! Yeah…!_

"Hinata I…"

Her beautifully pale eyes halted his advances...

... but only temporarily as he continued in a more confident tone of voice, the former's unmoving form resembling one made out of pure porcelain... as fragile and intricate as could be.

"... **we** have been together for… quite some time now and…"

The Inuzuka male swallowed the lump in his throat (3rd count!), as the Hyuuga remained frozen to her spot, almost unblinking whilst provided him with her rapt attention; moonlight bathing her ethereal body with unsurpassed mastery.

"… I love you, more than anything else that I know of. It's become almost as easy as 'breathing' for me by now."

"..."_ Kiba-kun…_

Her eyes began tearing up as his heartfelt words hit her hard… but in the right way; heart swelling with complete and utter love for the man presently kneeling in front of her unmoving frame.

"That's why…" _H-Here I go…_

Kiba clenched his jaw tightly, his right hand reaching into his pocket to retrieve the… 'object' that he had been hiding away from her eyes for the entirety of the lovely evening that they had spent with each other.

"… I would like to ask… for... your hand in marriage."

"...!" _Ah!_

"..."

As his questioning orbs searched hers for any trace of her reply to his proposal, the dog-nin noticed a glistening drop of crystal clear liquid cascade down her milky cheek and onto her lap... as her hands trembled, almost making it seem as if she would 'collapse' at any time due to the euphoric emotions that were embroiling within her.

"K-Kiba-kun…" she whispered out but to his ears it seemed more like a whimper... or a 'croak' of hesitancy.

"..."

Head hanging low as he felt his heart nearly tear itself into two, _D-Dammit! I **knew** that it was too early to ask her! I… I blew it all away in one fucking moment! Shit!_

Kiba let out a shuddering sigh as his curses towards his impatience died down steadily; face trying to disguise his immense hurt from the **one** woman who he loved the most…

… when…

Nearly leaping up from her seat to envelope the shocked man in a bone-crushing hug, a humongous grin plastered onto her tear-streaked face the entire while, Hinata let Kiba 'in' and allowed him to feel the insurmountable happiness and joy that was welling up within her heart and mind.

"Yes…! YES! I **will** marry you Kiba-kun!" she exclaimed as he remained stunned against her form, hesitating slightly before pulling away from her to look her in the eye properly... if only to check whether he was merely 'dreaming' or not.

"R-Really Hinata?! Y-You…?" _I-I can't believe it… did she actually…?_

She simply nodded with a wide grin, planting a deep kiss upon his tattooed cheek as he felt a stray tear slide down his face at the act.

_This f-feels so..._

... and **that** was when it finally hit him.

* * *

><p><em>SHE SAID <strong>YES<strong>!_

"WAAAHOOOO!"

Feeling his mouth almost rip apart at the sides, finding it next to **impossible** to contain his innate excitement and unbridled joy at her answer, Kiba sprang up and onto to his feet before lifting his shocked girlfriend up and into his arms, bridal style...

... her clinging onto him as if her very life depended on it… soon finding herself being spun around endlessly; bombardment of amused giggles escaping her lips.

_Kami… I'm so, **so** happy right now, damn!_

Slowing his incessant spins down a notch after some intense minutes of unadulterated 'celebration', which would have surely managed to disturb any and all of the neighboring households, courtesy of his loudmouthed whooping and cheering, the jounin panted happily as the young woman in his grasp hugged his neck one final time…

… whispering softly against it as she did so, smile failing to disappear from her 'pink-tinged' face, "I'm so very happy Kiba-kun."

Her orbs connected with his as he gently put her back onto her feet.

"I love you..."

Giving her a warm smile before cupping her cheek with one hand and kissing her gently, her responding by wrapping her arms around his torso and moaning contentedly in his mouth, Kiba replied in a loving tone, "I love you too Hina."

...

Scratching his cheek with his forefinger as she grabbed his hand, he later added, "So uh… what now?" _Man, I shoulda planned all of this in advance… just in case._

"..."

Staring at him incredulously before bursting out into thoroughly amused laughter, Hinata pinched his flushed cheeks playfully and, ignoring his look of disbelief at what she had just done in the spate of her unbridled excitement, told him, "Silly, we'll go and tell our parents about all of this of course!" _He can **really** be so clueless sometimes!_

A dumb nod from him made the heiress suddenly glance shyly towards her feet.

"Then they can…"

She twiddled her forefingers together all of a sudden, since the old habit of hers had, at that point, decided to rear its head once more, before continuing her statement; small tinge of red present upon her nose, "… help us p-plan the rest of it out."

Smiling at her haste for them to tie the knot, Kiba grinned wide and scooped her up in his arms once again, her running her hand along his hair as he smirked victoriously up at her glowing smile.

"Let's not waste **anymore** more time then, eh?" he inquired cheekily, noticing how she let out a small giggle at his words as her hand continued its ministrations along his scalp, gently.

"Hmm… hmm! Okay then you impatient brute," Hinata grinned back, apparently feeling as one would when on 'cloud nine'.

An amused chuckle found its way out of his throat as he literally 'ran off' in the direction of her house, aiming to ask her father that very **same** day for his approval; beautiful 'wife-to-be' laughing the whole way out loud, holding onto him as she mildly feared falling off whilst in his unstable hold.

She also soon found herself quite 'enjoying' his insane way of life already.

_Oh Kiba-kun… I just can't wait._

"..." _Oh yeah!_

Suddenly remembering the thing, which was still clutched tightly in his grasp, Kiba abruptly placed his love down onto solid earth and, turning towards her curious gaze with a small smile, held it out for her to see…

… the small, dark velvet box 'standing out' against his palm easily.

"O-Oh my…" Hinata couldn't help but gasp at the sight of the gleaming rock held out in front of her eyes.

The ring was of solid gold whilst the diamond present atop it screamed out its value as being 'truly expensive'.

"Hold out your hand Hina…" Kiba whispered gently, wanting this magical moment to last for as long as possible._ At last, I'll be able to make her… mine for keeps,_ he inwardly smiled with 'indescribably' elated feelings escalating in his chest.

"H-Hai…" the stunned kunoichi merely breathed in response. _Oh wow, this is a-almost like a dream,_ she nearly gushed those thoughts of hers out in response to his overtly romantic actions.

Taking the ring out of its case properly, Kiba held her soft hand in his and eased the precious memento onto her ring finger... grinning as she stared at it in pure disbelief.

"I-It's... beautiful Kiba-kun."

The 'overwhelmed' woman was on the verge of crying out her innate cheer, right at him...

... but managed to hold herself in check.

She smiled up at his loving gaze, cheeks bright red as she 'resisted' kissing him outright due to her current trouble with her pounding heart. _I... love him so much. Thank you for giving me such a priceless gift... Kami-sama._

Stroking her cheek before claiming her sweet lips with sensual passion, tongue barely brushing against hers all the while, the dog-nin answered back with a smirk, "Just like its owner… Hina-chan."

_Or rather, far less than her… in any way._

Needless to say, the blushing female cried (or rather moaned) out playfully, pretty much like a child right then... "Ohhh... stop now Kiba~kun!"

* * *

><p><strong>Two excruciatingly loooong weeks later, after all of the shopping and preparations for the mass occasion had been successfully dealt with<strong>

"Um…"

Turning over to each side, the person tried to catch a sufficient glimpse of their back, judging themselves (at every possible angle) whilst sizing up the garb that they were currently wearing.

_Hmm..._

"Do you think this is the right size for me Ino-san?" a soft voice inquired, owner turning her gaze towards the platinum blonde in question after having inspected herself in a large mirror with slight doubt present in her pallid eyes.

Putting her hands on her hips due to her impatient nature, the Yamanaka heiress walked over to where her unsure friend was situated, resisting the urge to scoff at the latter's constant worrying while proceeding to 'unzip' the back of her gown with a flourish… the act making the already 'on edge' bride let out a sound of surprise…

"Eeek! I-Ino-san you'll tear the material!" Hinata wailed, pouting at her friend in response, trying to remove the garb off of her curvy frame with near-tentative hands.

Smirking in amusement, although with her good intentions managing to come across fully, the platinum blonde replied with a wicked grin, "Oh, stop fussing over something so small Hinata."

Folding the gown neatly as the still pouting woman handed it over to her, whilst 'herself' being clad in only her undergarments and night-robe since they were all alone in the room of the former, Ino continued on with a well-hidden smile.

"You have **no** idea exactly how nervous your prince charming might be acting in the privacy of his own room by now, hmm… hmm!"

Turning a slight red at her words, the lilac-eyed maiden turned away and tried on another bridal gown... inwardly praying that she would locate one of the right size.

_**Why** did I not go along with Sakura-san and the others on their shopping spree?_ she asked herself, already quite exhausted due to the amount of sheer mental and emotional pressure that she was harboring.

_(Sigh!) This would have been so much easier if they had me there…_

Her inner debate was interrupted by a hand upon her shoulder, making her turn towards the kind smile present on the radiant face of her 'maid of honour'.

"Ino-san?"

Said kunoichi only nodded in understanding.

"Hey, its gonna be alright Hinata. Both, you…" the mischievous glint returned to her baby blues in full force at that, "… **and** your pup will do just fine." _**If** he makes it through without throwing up due to nerves! Hehe!_

"Mo...! Ino-san you're just…" _Ah!_

Suddenly having a brainwave, Hinata ponced onto the opportunity to turn the heat upon her friend…

"..."

Raising an eyebrow, as the 'bride-to-be' suddenly halted her statement midway, Ino never, not even in her wildest of dreams, would have expected herself to be the first one to fall victim to the Hyuuga female's quick wit.

"… jealous." The smirk adorning her face was, indeed, something to be seen for one to believe.

_I guess this is the **best** way to get back at poor Ino-san, hmm… hmm!_

"...!"

Mouth aghast as the words of the dark bluenette processed themselves in her head, the Yamanaka felt her face turn red hot and, before she knew what she was doing, she leaped onto the surprised heiress standing in front of her…

... the both of them giggling madly as they found a 'satisfactory' landing spot in the form of the Hyuuga's soft bed.

_Ha-ha! I hope the day doesn't get any more out of hand later on…_

Unfortunately enough, Hinata Hyuuga, soon to be wife to the roguish heir of the Inuzuka clan, would 'in due time' learn to never have high expectations from her friends and associates.

Atleast, as far as their conduct in her **own** wedding was concerned.

* * *

><p><strong>Meanwhile…<strong>

_Grrr… what's with all the **damn** buttons?_ an irate groom let out a low growl, not bothering in the least to even keep it disguised from the other male who was present in the room with him right then.

It was a totally different matter that the male in question, was his 'best man' for the day.

"There… got it!" the brunette let out a sigh of relief; vest finally being buttoned up properly as he later on proceeded to tuck his white inner shirt into his pants...

... before a curt reply from his **best** man **(AN: I just couldn't resist!)** caught his attention.

"It would have been resolved sooner had you been more patient Kiba..."

The Inuzuka felt a vein throb dangerously by his temple at the Aburame's passing comment, somehow managing to keep his temper in check then... seeing as it **was** the biggest day of his and his angel's lives.

_That Shino… (Sigh) even on such an important day he's gotta act like the biggest smartass around!_

"… why?" the bug-user ploughed on effortlessly.

_He can't be serious!_ Kiba mentally roared in frustration.

"Because then you would have-"

At his wits end due to the nagging belt that was troubling his waistline at that point, the dog-nin nearly barked back in response, "Alright already! I get what your tryin' to say sheesh!" _He's been at it for over goddamn decade! Geez!_

Although he had promised his lady love that he would project his 'best' behaviour on their special day, the nervous man couldn't have been more irked then he was right then.

_Maybe… I was a bit 'too loud' with that one,_ he mused to himself, righteous guilt towards his actions building up in his chest... courtesy of him having the knowledge that the Aburame **was** one of his oldest friends.

Turning to face his ex-teammate completely, Kiba summoned up the necessary courage to ask for the bug-users pardon.

"Shino I… I'm sorry man, it's just that I'm so stressed out with this whole wedding thing and all…" He cut himself off at that point, not quite being capable of apologizing profusely to **anyone** but his beloved Hinata.

Voice as monotonous and emotionless as ever, Shino reached up to adjust his dark goggles before responding, "It is alright Kiba, your... 'reaction' was to be expected anyways."

Heading towards the door, that led to the external network of corridors before eventually ending at the large audience hall where the proceedings would take place, he said; hand upon the frame of said door as he did so, "I am… glad that you both have found each other at last."

Raising his eyes to properly meet the cool gaze of his former teammate, Kiba could have sworn that what he heard next was the **rawest** form of emotion to ever be emoted by the quiet jounin male.

"It's funny," his head tilted slightly towards the doorframe as he continued.

"The two people who I always considered as my closest… friends and associates, are soon about to be conjoined into marriage by the sacred act of holy matrimony."

The Inuzuka nearly missed the mild shift in his cheekbones; obvious smile being 'well-hidden' from view for his face was facing the other way, as the Aburame male ended his admittance soon after, voice letting through just the tiniest amount of emotion.

"I'm… feeling strangely content and… happy to be a part of the happenings around me."

Meeting the silent grooms brown orbs, Shino felt himself smile a tad bit wider, "I suppose that I just want to 'thank you' for everything and offer to you my gratitude in return…"

Kiba couldn't help the small grin that broke out over his tanned features then, it reaching all the way upto his eyes as one of his 'finest' friends brought his heartfelt statement to a conclusion. _He's **really** got a way with words when on a roll, Ha-ha!_

"… for letting me be a part of your and Hinata's lives."

"..."

Walking upto the 'tuxedo clad' man, smirk plastered over his lips, Kiba held his hand out for him to shake... feeling the moment that they currently found themselves in to be of the right type.

"I should be sayin' the same Shino."

A raised eyebrow was all he received in response by the slightly taller man as he continued, "Being with you… as a teammate for so damn long…"

He rubbed the back of his neck with a wide grin plastered over his face at that, "… I think it made me get used to things that I would never have even thought of facing ya know?"

His eyes sent a grateful look towards the silent man standing across from him then... "I guess… all I wanna say is that…"

* * *

><p>Accepting his offered hand, albeit hesitantly as was his nature in regards to 'physical contact' with others, Shino let loose a crinkled smirk at the Inuzuka's words.<p>

_Who would have thought,_ he inwardly mused, recalling memories of years gone by when they were part of a memorable 3-man cell. _The both of us, two completely **different** people, being here… like this._

* * *

><p>"… I'm a pretty lucky guy to have you... as a friend."<p>

Kiba trailed off slightly towards the end, a faint dust of 'pink' appearing on his face due to him not being used to openly professing his emotions to someone as… aloof as the Aburame heir.

_He may be weirder than Lee, more of a smartass than Neji and even a hell of a lot more... 'annoying' than even Naruto sometimes... but..._

A rare sense of enlightenment surrounded the dog-nin in that moment, as the realization that Shino Aburame was **truly** one of his finer friends dawned upon him completely.

_... at the end of the day..._

A wide smile grew along his lips as he stood in that room, face-to-face with his old comrade... _he's alright._

Shaking the brown-haired jounin's hand firmly, "I... sincerely appreciate your words Kiba. I shall be seeing you and Hinata later then…" the bug-user excused himself with a curt nod and headed out the door to check up on the proceedings regarding the 'big wedding'…

... his smile still in place for some odd reason.

_This time…_ he thought, hands tucked comfortably in his deep pockets and an easy pace adorning his quiet footsteps... _I require **no** viable reason to express myself._

_Yes… not at all._

"..."

Staring at the spot where the man had been standing mere seconds ago, Kiba shook his head with a chuckle and proceeded to finish up with getting ready for the biggest day of his life… glancing at his reflection in a nearby vanity mirror as the toothy grin on his face widened considerably.

_Ready or not Hina, here I come…!_

* * *

><p><strong>A few short minutes later, within the large audience hall where some of Konoha's finest shinobi had gathered to witness a 'magnanimous' wedding in full gusto<strong>

Heading down the hall with his eldest daughter's arm entwined with his own, Hiashi Hyuuga was indeed (after his introspection over his child's sudden decision had successfully ended some days ago) a **truly** happy man and father.

_Well, it seems that this day has finally arrived,_ he sighed, feeling the weight pressing down on his heart lighten considerably as he did so.

Glancing to his left at the beautiful young woman latched onto his arm, the man couldn't help but smile with 'well-placed' pride at where she currently found herself to be.

_This **is** what she deserves. It's what her mother would have wanted… for her._

"Are you nervous my child?" he questioned her as they stepped past the tall 'floral archway'... _I must say, Hanabi has done quite a good job with that…_ that was placed just a few feet ahead of the main door to the hall, trying to adopt a caring tone of voice as he did so.

Turning red for the umpteenth time that day, Hinata replied in a small voice, "Yes, I… I am otousan."

He merely smiled at her expression of doubt, "Don't be. You don't need to be."

It was worth it to see her beaming grin, especially considering that it was directed towards him and that **he** was the reason for its current existence.

_It… is about time that I began to 'appreciate' the gifts that I've been bestowed with,_ Hiashi mused, feeling a quiet peace resonate in his heart and mind as they neared the podium.

"..."

Heart literally 'pounding' against his chest as he witnessed his gorgeous bride make her way over to where he was situated, Kiba let loose a warm smile her way… receiving almost instant reciprocation in the process from the giddy female. _Kami, she looks **so** beautiful in that…_

Indeed, Hinata Hyuuga was dressed in a stunningly beautiful (**and** strapless) wedding gown that teasingly hugged her womanly curves in all of the 'right' places... making the whole look seem as if sculpted out of pure marble to all who caught a glimpse of her.

She had chosen not to wear a veil as well, seeing as her hair looked far better kept down rather than propped up into a messy bun. Her dainty hands and creamy forearms were completely 'covered' in snow-white gloves as well, perfecting her look to a 'T'.

_S-Sugoi. Everyone... came to see us._

Her heart was certainly overjoyed at the prospect that all of the shinobi belonging to her generation, plus the old and the new, had gathered there to see her enter into wedlock with the handsome brunette… who was, currently, grinning away broadly at her blushing form.

_Kiba-kun… this… this is it._

"Ne, Hina-chan…" he whispered, trying to adopt a caring tone yet blatantly failing at hiding his overflowing excitement from her._ Damn, she looks so stunning in that! I'm gettin' goosebumps just **looking** at her!_

Meeting his eyes shyly, hands clasped in front of her, she was about to respond...

... but her father spoke up all of a sudden, unintentionally 'interrupting' their little moment as he did so.

In a businesslike mode of sorts, Hiashi cleared his throat elegantly before proceeding. "Ahem…"

Turning towards the older Hyuuga, a smile plastered upon his tattooed face, Kiba simply nodded politely in response.

Glancing at his daughter and placing her right hand in his with a smirk, the clan head spoke out his thoughts at last.

"I trust that you will…" his gaze connected briefly with the bride of the day as she beamed happily back at him, "… keep my most 'treasured' possession safe, as well as away, from any and all sorrows that life may throw her way?"

Accepting his gesture by holding onto his beloved's soft hand with a tender grip, the Inuzuka replied, "There's no need to be concerned about Hinata now Hiashi-san." _Great, we gotta say the vows **now** of all times?_

His brown eyes found her lilac orbs as he finished his statement; confidence shining through the entire while, "She's mine now… and as far as keeping her away from all that sad crap that you mentioned earlier is concerned…"

A broad grin formed on his muzzle as he winked towards the senior jounin, ignoring the red tinge that had formed upon his angel's face then, "... don't sweat it. She'll **only** know how to laugh or giggle as long as she's with me, Hehe!"

_I won't even let a single tear fall from her eyes,_ Kiba vowed to himself, the woman in front of him smiling up at him with 'unadulterated' trust dripping out of her gaze by the gallons. _Not once… not **ever**._

"..."

Satisfied by the tall male's answer, the proud father of the blushing bride patted his shoulder with a curt nod before heading over to his seat... the one right beside where Hinata's caretaker and personal aide was situated. He promptly folded his arms with a small smile, patiently waiting for the proceedings to begin.

_Fair enough Inuzuka…_

* * *

><p>Looking up at the kunoichi who, not some years back, would hear bedtime stories from <strong>her<strong> every single night before sleep, _I'm so…_ she silently sniffed back her sobs… _so very happy for you my child. You've found someone to love... with all your heart at last,_ an emotional Miko wiped away the warm liquid from her eyes with a tiny napkin; gaze remaining fixated upon the happy couple...

... them being situated in front of her **and** the rest of the joyous faces that had decided to turn up on that auspicious day.

_What a 'blessed' day this has turned out to be._

There by the far left corner of the front row seats, seeing as her and the Hyuuga leader's seats were situated in the third row, sat the mighty 'Kazekage of Sunagakure' himself.

Gaara, his energetic yet loyal wife Matsuri having her left arm entwined into his, was looking partially to his right as a certain blonde jinchuuriki kept getting reprimanded for his 'unacceptable' antics by his pink-haired 'girlfriend-cum-personal medic'.

...

It seemed that he had tried to 'conspire' against the large buffet table some time back, trusted comrade Choji apparently more-than-willing to join with him in the fruitful venture…

… or he **would** have...

"Oi! What do you think you're doing with the turkey Naruto!"

... had the temperamental 'Maid of Honour' not threatened to have the both of them go hungry for the rest of the night as punishment.

As expected, by the many who were intimately familiar with the Yamanaka's fiery temper, the tirade didn't last very long.

"G-Gomen Ino-chan… me and Naruto were just uh… 'checking' if everything was in proper order! N-Ne Naruto?"

"Uus!" **(AN: It means 'Yeah' in Japanese)** the whisker-marked male replied almost instantaneously, grinning widely at the sweating Akimichi as he got dragged away by his 'significant other'…

… by the ear.

"YOW! Ino-chan…!"

Over by the seats on which the close relatives of the groom were sitting, wide grins plastered upon their overjoyed faces the entire while, Miko noticed the presence of the remaining portion of the 'esteemed' Konoha 11.

_It's good that all of Hinata-sama's friends decided to show up. I'm sure that she is simply overjoyed with all the arrangements._

Soon enough however, it seemed to her that the heir to the Nara clan had been unable to attend the occasion for some reason…

_Oh wait,_ her gaze landed at the far corner of the large hall. _There he is._

She let out a small sigh of relief as the spiky black ponytail of the jounin commander came into view from the back-end of the spacious location.

"...?"_ Is that…?_

The old dame squinted her eyes to catch a glimpse of the sandy blonde who was leaning upon the pillar on the right side to his, apparently commenting on his lazy posture whilst ignoring his own silent musings about her constant 'corrective' lectures regarding his age-old habits.

_Temari-san?_ she wondered, letting a giggle fall through her lips, finally understanding as to why he had arrived much later than the others for the ceremony.

_I suppose that Shino-kun and Lee-kun also made it then,_ the woman wondered, having already begun her search across the entirety of the room for them.

Her intuition was indeed right at that point as… standing mere feet away from the podium from where the chuckling groom was waving amusedly at them, the two males were offering the grateful bride large and colourful bouquets…

… and having her accept them; the brightest of smiles that she had **ever** seen on her face visible to all around her as she did so.

_My my… they're acting as if the festivities are **already** over, hmm… hmm!_

Sighing at the content feeling that formed within her heart, witnessing the sheer presence of love and friendship wafting around her from all possible directions, Miko smiled and stood...

... as did all of the other guests as…

"..."

Making her way over to the small podium, an approving smirk on her face, the 'Godaime Hokage' nodded mutely towards the crowd in front of her and requested for them to resume their seated positions with a few polite words of thanks and a small wave…

… before officially beginning the proceedings for the 'all important' ceremony.

* * *

><p><strong>The vows…<strong>

_Here goes..._

"Ahem…"

Tsunade cleared her throat as the two young lovers standing in front of her grinned at each other one final time, before facing her and offering her their utmost attention as she continued without further delay; hearts beating in 'unison' as the seconds silently passed them by.

_Heh, such adorable lovebirds they turned out to be,_ the busty blonde mused to herself before slipping on her reading glasses and unfolding the piece of paper that held her speech within it.

She sucked in a tiny gulp of air as the required 'opening' words began to appear in her head, a huge portion of the credit going to her 'ever-ready' assistant who had helped her prepare them the night before.

_I'd better get this over with soon or they'll probably head off for their honeymoon without even exchanging their rings, Ha-ha!_

It was painfully obvious that the Inuzuka male was getting a tad bit impatient with the unwanted delays by then, that much she could definitely sense.

Standing quietly by the far end of the podium, Shizune, holding a cheerful Tonton securely in her arms, smiled at her senior as the latter finally began to speak. _Good luck you two… and you too Tsunade-sama, hmm… hmm!_

_Th-This is it huh…?_

Kiba felt his sweat form along his brow as he swallowed the lump in his throat; lopsided grin forming on his face as he stood rock steady, unmoving in his chosen position.

_At last. (Sigh) I've waited so long for this one moment..._

Her prior nervousness vanishing into thin air as the moment of truth came ever closer, towards the both of them, Hinata beamed at her black tux wearing, slick and astoundingly handsome 'husband-to-be' one last time…

... heart beating faster by the passing moment as the blonde woman spoke in a somber yet positive tone of voice.

* * *

><p><em>"We are all gathered here today, in the face of such delightful company, to witness the joining together of this man and this woman in holy matrimony - which is commended to be based on the foundation of honour and righteousness - and is to not be entered into unadvisedly, due to external pressures <strong>or<strong> lightly…_

_But with the best interests of the two individuals involved at heart. Into this sacred estate these two persons now come to be joined. If any person can show just cause as to why they may not be joined together – let them speak **now** or forever hold their peace."_

Not a sound was to be heard in the entire audience hall as each and every individual held his or her breath with 'ever-increasing' anticipation.

The well-endowed female continued on in a more serious voice…

_"Marriage… it is the union of husband and wife in not only heart but also the body and the mind. It exists for their mutual joy - and for the help and comfort given on another, whether in prosperity or in adversity. But, more importantly, it is a means through which a stable and loving environment may be attained for those involved._

_Through marriage… Inuzuka Kiba and Hyuuga Hinata make a commitment together, in the face of the currently present company and the Kami above, to face their disappointments - embrace their dreams - realize their hopes and aspirations as well as **accept** each others failures within the best of their abilities._

_Kiba and Hinata will promise one another on this day to aspire to these ideals throughout their lives together - through mutual understanding - openness with one another - and sensitivity to each other._

_We are here today - before the merciful Kami - because marriage is one of **his** most sacred wishes - to witness the joining in this holy bond of Inuzuka Kiba and Hyuuga Hinata. This occasion marks the celebration of love and commitment with which this man and this woman shall begin their new life together…"_

She took in a small breath and adjusted the thin-framed optics upon her nose before proceeding further,

_"And now - through the power vested in me - he joins you together in one of the holiest and most **pure** of human bonds."_

"..."

Wiping away the stray tear that had managed to slip through her left eyelash, the lilac-eyed maiden turned towards her beloved with a small smile that proudly displayed her innate joy and contentment to his gaze.

Tsunade began uttering their necessary vows before them as the two Konoha jounin held their gazes steady.

_"Do you, Inuzuka Kiba, take Hyuuga Hinata to be your lawfully wedded wife - to live together after Kami's ordinance - in the holy state of sacred matrimony?_

_Will you love her, comfort her, honour and keep her, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, through all of life's joys and sorrows, to cherish and continually bestow upon her your heart's deepest devotion, forsaking **all** others, keep yourself only unto her as long as you both shall live?"_

The male felt his words flow out of his heart like a mighty chariot, of ages long past, even **before** he had opened his mouth to provide his answer.

Meeting Hinata's moist orbs, warm smile adorning his face, he whispered out with unabashed confidence, "I will."

Turning her attention over to the beaming bride, Tsunade spoke with a 'well-hidden' smile in her composed voice,

_"Do you Hyuuga Hinata take Inuzuka Kiba to be your lawfully wedded husband - to live together after Kami's ordinance - in the holy state of sacred matrimony?_

_Will you love him, comfort him, honour and keep him, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, through all of life's joys and sorrows, to cherish and continually bestow upon him your heart's deepest devotion, forsaking **all** others, keep yourself only unto him as long as you both shall live?"_

Holding back her joyous sobs with great difficulty and self-control, the pink-cheeked woman answered immediately without **any** hesitation lacing her tone… or her heart and mind.

"Hai, I will."

Nodding at the both of them as if in approval, the blonde hokage then spoke in the direction of a 'certain' individual…

_"What token of love do you offer? The rings please…"_

At her request the quiet Aburame heir stepped onto the podium and handed over the two gold rings to his village head with a small bow in her direction; heading back to his original place beside the 'taijutsu master' by the side of the stage once he had done so.

Handing the pair of rings, first to the bride and then the groom with a warm smile, Tsunade began to end her heartfelt speech…

_"May these rings be blessed as the symbol of this affectionate unity. These two lives are now joined in one unbroken circle. Wherever they may go - may they always return to one another. May these two find in each other the love for which all women - and men - yearn at Kami's doorstep for their entire lives in passing. May they grow in understanding **and** in compassion._

_May the home, which they head off to establish, be such a place that many will only find with those divinely blessed by the 'Great One' himself…"_

The woman smiled and let out a huge sigh of relief at having finished with the initial formalities. _(Sigh!) Following protocol can be a **major** pain sometimes._

Raising her arms to place them on the top of their heads tenderly, with an almost 'motherly' affection radiating through her, the blonde woman smiled at their tear-streaked faces with a sense of contentment… speaking **only** once she had located her voice again.

_"You may now… kiss the bride…"_

Not needing any sort of invitation, yet being mindful of the presence of his 'overbearing' mother in the large crowd of guests, the dog-nin held his passionate emotions back for the time being as…

"Hey…" he whispered, gently grasping both of her hands and raising them towards himself; stepping slightly closer to her as she grinned briefly at him.

Turning crimson but trying her best to not pass out due to the sheer bliss that she was feeling at that moment, Hinata answered back meekly, "N-Nani?"

Placing his lips tenderly over hers as she sighed happily into it with an accepting smile, Kiba grinned at her shy expression...

... at the same time as the applause onto his left had begun to reach the height of a **deafening** uproar due to some of the more 'zestful' members of the passionate crowd.

"I guess you're my little wifey now, ne?" _Heh, I feel like my chest is gonna burst with joy right now…_

Giggling as he gave her another peck on her cheek with a chuckle, the newly married woman held onto his arm as they began their mini-trek down from the small steps to seek the blessings of their parents and elders.

"..."

_What a wonderful day… it has been._

Hinata couldn't help but glance towards her 'husband' as she thought that... _Ne, Kiba-kun?_

* * *

><p><strong>With the bride's family<strong>

Stopping in front of the elderly head of the illustrious clan specializing in ocular jutsu, the couple bowed low in front of him as he placed his hands atop both of their heads.

_How she has grown,_ Hiashi thought to himself, proud smirk finding it's way onto his face as he did so. _My precious daughter…_

"I ardently wish that your mother could have been here to see you on this day… Hinata."

Sobbing in his offered embrace as he patted her back softly, Hinata moved over to her younger sister; who had taken it upon herself to be the de facto leader of the many flower girls of the celebrating village on that day, hugging her as well with 'barely restrainable' gusto present within her.

"I'm so so SO happy for you neesan!" the chuunin cried out against her body, feeling her tears return to her eyes as her kind older sibling proceeded to wipe them away for her; angelic smile still upon her face.

Having recovered quicker than expected, the girl then simply smirked at her new 'brother-in-law'.

_(Sigh) It's a shame that he won't be living with us. We could **really** use some humour around the house anyway…_

Sticking her tongue out at the end of her following statement, Hanabi spoke in a cheeky voice, "Yeah you **too** big guy…"

"...!"

Forcing a smile onto his face, even though he might as well have preferred to growl back at her in response, Kiba chuckled back, "Uh… yeah. Hehe, thanks Hanabi."

_Goddamned family and their crappy humour!_ he inwardly moaned, albeit with just a tiny amount of joy shining through... courtesy of the fact that his angel would be living in a place where **she** felt most comfortable… instead of being forced to base her decision on her familial responsibilities alone.

As her slightly taller cousin stepped forward to offer his best wishes to the both of them, the 'bride of the day' gave his surprised form a warm hug as well... not even bothering to let him speak first.

"H-Hinata-sama…?"

"I'm glad…" she met his eyes as he kept his expression neutral, "… that **all** of my family came to see me today niisan."

"..."

Giving her a 'rare' smile before patting her head in response, the Hyuuga prodigy nodded back politely and said, "The pleasure was all mine Hinata-sama… being a part of your happiness is an opportunity which I would have **never** wanted to be deprived of."

"Hai!" she beamed up at him, her father stepping in with a small cough.

"Hinata…"

Her cousin released her as she obediently turned towards her parent.

"Nani otousan?"

...

Not sure as to how he should word his query, Hiashi decided to simply go with it.

"Are you… **sure** that you do not want to…"

She answered his doubts with a serene smile once he had finished, "Hai I'm absolutely certain that Neji-niisan is **far** more suited to that title… and for that role otousan."

Said man interrupted her in mild shock, his 'faltering' speech pattern not helping him in the least, "B-But Hinata-sama…"

"Neji…" his leader spoke, morose emotions easily visible in his tone, "... her decision depends entirely on what she so chooses… we should…" the older Hyuuga held back a somewhat 'depressed' sigh at that, "… respect her wishes at this time."

Inwardly though, he wasn't disappointed in his eldest child at all.

In fact, his **own** regret and guilt outscored his former feelings for the gentle kunoichi during that moment... by entire leagues.

_It is only my fault that my daughter, who I had always thought to be unfit and 'lacking' in mental strength and fortitude, is in such a position from which she can… so openly, **deny** her birthright… and hand it over to another with a smile upon her face._

Hiashi nevertheless shook his son-in-law's outstretched hand, giving him a pat on the shoulder with a sad smile.

_But it doesn't matter now I suppose... if you turn a home into a prison cell for the entirety of your precious children's lives spent there, they would surely one day want to spread their wings and take flight..._

Hiashi Hyuuga had learnt an invaluable lesson on that day… one which he would **always** wish that he had come across, much earlier in life.

_... leaving their uncomfortable nest behind them to find newer, more fertile pastures._

"I wish you two the very best for your new lives and…" His eyes met his firstborns as she smiled happily back at him, unmistakably reminding him of his beautiful and kind wife as she did so.

"… never forget that the doors of our… **your** old home are always open for whenever you may see them fit to enter through."

_I suppose that this is the **least** that a father can do... to repent for his past sins towards his innocent child._

Nodding at the man's caring words, Kiba bowed once more along with his wife and waved at them one final time...

... moving on to receive congratulatory words from his family and the rest of their friends and comrades… already looking forward to the 'magical night' that awaited the both of them from then on.

* * *

><p><em>If this is still a dream…<em>

He glanced at the gorgeous female present on his arm, her wondrous orbs searching his with a shy grin, making him smile warmly back at her before placing a loving kiss upon her plump red lips... delight spreading throughout his entire system as he did so.

_... then it's **my** dream…_

_... mine and hers._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: 4200+ hits and growing… AWESOME!<strong>

**Now then, since this was the finale for my first ever fanfic venture... expect a SEQUEL for this in due time! Hehe!  
><strong>

**Until then, however, kindly provide your ideas and suggestions as to how IT can take form once you finish reading (and reviewing?) this 'uber-lengthy' epilogue of mine.**

**Love you all and may all of your aspirations take flight, in a similar manner like how our 'ever-lovable' couple's dreams did in this story.**

**Da Svidaniya… Sayonara… Adios… Ciao… Fin… Tood-lee-oo! ;P**


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